


Ladynoir July 2018

by Jarl_Deathwolf



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Best Friends, Canon Compliant, Cat Puns, Comfort No Hurt, F/M, Fluff, For Ladybug from Chat Noir, Friendship, Ice Cream, Mutual Pining, Platonic Cuddling, Since it is pretty much just Ladynoir, Slow Dancing, Social Media, Unrequited Love, angst? what angst?, just...so much fluff, shameless flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-08 03:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 22,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15233892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarl_Deathwolf/pseuds/Jarl_Deathwolf
Summary: A collection of one-shots for Ladynoir July, which cover the first year of Ladybug and Chat Noir's partnership, even if they jump around in time a lot. Takes place before my True Sight story, so it is almost completely canon compliant.If you come here looking for angst you will be sorely disappointed. Thar be only fluff on me ship.





	1. 1st Impressions

“Chat?”

Her partner opened his eyes and looked over at her, wearing a soft smile. They were looking out at Paris as the sunset, watching the street lights begin to glow and the city start to slow. “Yes, Bugaboo?”

“What was your first thought when we met?”

“I think it was something along the lines of 'whats that red blur coming towards- Oh no.'” He held up a fist, made a whistling noise, and smashed his other hand into his fist. He snickered.

Her confusion lasted only for a moment as she remembered colliding into him. The yo-yo was almost second nature to use, even back then, but flying through the air that way took getting used to. She tried to pout at him, but his laughter was infectious and she was soon laughing with him.

Once the giggling had subsided she tried again. “No, no, kitty. I meant what did you think of me that first day?”

They settled into a thoughtful silence. Chat Noir stared at the open city before him as he considered the question.

At last, he responded. “I could tell you were nervous. To be honest, after you crashed into me and acted so shy, I was expecting that I'd be the beautiful leader.” He leaned in as he added with a wink, “I'm glad you ended up taking that role, though.” She rolled her eyes and gently pushed him back. “You really came into your own during that first fight. Seeing the first of the patented Ladybug plans was something to witness. Who else would have thought to use the scuba suit in that way?”

“I'm just glad Alya was there to turn on the water. Maybe if she wasn't, I'd have gotten something else? Maybe a-”

He waved his hand, dismissing the topic before she could get off track. “Right, right. Although,” he met her eyes as he gave his best disapproving look, “you could've warned me before twirling me by the tail and hurling me at Stoneheart.”

“There was no time and you know it.” She poked his chest to accentuate her point. “We won, didn't we? And weren't you just complimenting me on how impressive it was?”

Hands held up in defeat, Chat continued, “Yes, which is why I'll finish by saying I thought you were crazy awesome, and not simply crazy. Which, by the way, is still how I see you. Gotta say, it is hard to keep up with the example you set sometimes.”

She grinned. “That so, kitty? Well, just let me know when I'm getting too awesome and I'll tone it down for you.” She flicked his bell to accompany her taunt.

“I don't think that will ever happen.”

“What? That I will get too awesome?”

“No, that I would ever want you to tone it down.” She gently shoved him and they returned to watching the city.

“So what about me?” Chat posed the question as casually as possible, but she could feel the curiosity bubbling underneath the surface.

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“What was your first impression of me?”

She leaned back, elbows supporting her as she looked up at the night sky. “I remember your energy. You were just so _excited_ to be a hero. I was nervous of messing up and disappointing everyone, but you didn't care about that.”

Chat awed and put a hand on his chest. “It is an-”

Marinette interrupted him to continue. “You weren't scared of getting the stuffing knocked out of you, no sir.”

Taken back, Chat tried again, “Yes, thank-”

“Neither were you worried of making a fool of yourself by using your cataclysm on an innocent goal post.”

Chat glared, she laughed.

While he was huffing, she slid over to lean her back against him. “You know what though? I almost gave up being Ladybug that day. I took off the earrings and everything. Then I saw that you were willing to fight regardless. And then later, when I was feeling doubt about why I was chosen, you gave me that little speech.” She shifted her head to see she had his full attention. She met his eyes as she finished. “I still think about it, from time to time. Whenever I feel like it is all becoming too much, or I think I might not be good enough for this.”

“I've always appreciated the faith you have in me, Chat.”

“You've never given me any reason to doubt you, my lady.”

They spent the rest of their 'patrol' sitting in a comfortable silence, happily enjoying each others' company.


	2. Akuma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chasing butterflies

It had only been a month since Stoneheart. Adrien was still getting used to his new role as protector of Paris – he knew there was still a lot he didn't know about Hawkmoth, his powers, and his partner, Ladybug. It was this naivety – and their initial excitement – that led them to their many half-baked plots to find and capture their arch enemy.

Some were more practical than others. They found an abandoned house in an outer arrondissement of Paris, where they would meet up to plan their next move. Eventually, they would give up making a base and simply met on the Eiffel Tower for patrols. For now, however, in that run down shack they hatched their next plan to defeat Hawkmoth, once and for all.

“So you understand what to do, right? What we are waiting for?” Ladybug was watching him after having explained the plan.

He nodded, but she looked unconvinced. His tail flicked in mild irritation. _It isn't_ my _fault that the last plan went screwy. Who could have predicted the mud would dry that quickly?_

“Repeat it back to me then.”

“C'mon, Ladybug! I have to leave soon for my-”

She rushed to put a hand over his mouth. He was startled, but then remembered the need for secrecy. It was hard not to let details slip by accident. Her expression softened and she responded softly, “Humor me, Chat? Please?”

Adrien gave in and told the plan as he remembered it. “We wait for an easy villain. One where we didn't need to use Lucky Charm or Cataclysm for.” She nodded along. “After you purify the akuma, we follow it back to Hawkmoth.” Adrien held up a fist. “Then we can end this and bring him to justice!”

Ladybug nodded, pleased with him. “Good kitty. We can't say anything at the scene in case Hawkmoth can still hear us, and we need to keep our distance from it. So be careful! He has already terrorized Paris for too long.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

It took a few battles, but their shot came a few days later. Hawkmoth's victim – an old man upset about the godawful racket the neighbor kids were making – had turned out to be a push over in combat, with no collateral damage to speak of.

They stood nearby the freed victim, fittingly in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe. Adrien put out his hand for their traditional fist bump, meeting Ladybug's eyes. Her pigtails were blown back toward the rising sun, and he briefly forgot their mission, stunned by the image of her framed by the morning light. 

He came back to his senses and gave the barest of nods, which she returned. They split up and Adrien turned his enhanced senses towards the skies, scanning for the glowing white butterfly.

_Did we already lose it? Wait! There it is, blended in for a moment with a lazy cloud._ He called Ladybug to make sure she was headed the right way. She picked up quickly and his baton's screen showed her face. “I was just about to call you. I take it you've found the akuma as well?”

Adrien nodded. “Yes, it is heading toward the Chaussee d'Antin-Lafayette.”

“What? Is it going to get on the subway to escape us?” She responded incredulously.

“Maybe, my lady. It might just be _winging_ it as events unfold.”

He felt the wind die down as he tracked the butterfly. As it headed southward, Ladybug caught up to him. “Any theories on where the akuma will land? We can make bets.”

Ladybug shrugged, a frown tugging at her lips. “I'm not sure, but... I feel like it was just being carried by the wind. Is it even going back to Hawkmoth?”

“Well it has to, doesn't it? How else would he be able to make it evil again?” The conversation was cut short as they crossed over the Seine and landed on Notre Dame.

Adrien was worried they had lost track of it entirely before Ladybug called out. “Oh! There it is!” He followed where she was pointing, and saw it fluttering over the river, heading southeast.

“Good eye, bugaboo!”

They sprung back into action, trying to keep a discreet distance. They leaped to the next island before crossing the river fully. By that time, the akuma had sailed over a university and entered the Jardin des Plantes.

The duo landed in the foliage of the Jardin Alpin area, only to watch the butterfly finally land on an exotic red flower. As they watched, it flapped its wings – once, twice, then bursting into motes of white which promptly faded into the air.

Adrien shared a look of disappointment with Ladybug. They didn't try to track the butterflies again.


	3. Lucky Charm

Patrols were usually a relaxing diversion – soaring over the city in the cool air of the night, getting to truly enjoy the powers their miraculous gave them without having to immediately throw themselves into battle. At some point during their patrols, it would often devolve into the pair chasing each other over the rooftops of Paris. The only disruption to this was the brief time they had to ensure 'The Owl' didn't hurt himself in his heroics – but that got resolved and patrol was on as usual.

It was almost unheard of for Hawkmoth to create two akuma in one day. Since earlier that day he had sent out an akuma, Marinette was looking forward to a relaxing evening with Chat Noir.

Tonight had been no exception to these patterns – no akuma to be found, and the two had tired themselves out in a game of tag. A few minutes were left of their patrol, and they met back up on the Eiffel Tower to wait it out.

Not long after sitting down, Chat Noir broke the silence with a question. “Ladybug?”

“Hm?”

“What happens if you summon your Lucky Charm if there is no akuma?”

She realized that she had never tried before. _Not that the thought of using it to, say, help me finish my chores hadn't occurred to me._ Out loud, she responded, “Well... I don't know, actually. My kwami only ever explained it in terms of fighting akuma.”

His tail fell limply onto the beam they were seated on. “Oh.”

“Well, we're almost done anyway, so I could try it out and see what happens?”

Chat rubbed his hands together in excitement. “I was hoping you'd say that. I've been dying of curiosity for weeks now.”

Instead of jumping straight to it, she decided to tease him a little. “We-ell, I don't know, Chat... I need to get home soon...” She lost heart to his sad kitten eyes, and relented. “Oh, all alright.”

Immediately he bounced back to joy. “Do it, do it!”

Calling out to the power of creation, Marinette lifted her hand to the sky. “Lucky Charm!”

A flash of red later and a small, finger sized canister fell into her open palm. Despite its black and red polka dot pattern, she recognized it immediately.

Chat was craning his neck to look at it while she simply gawked at it, wide eyed. “Well, what it is?”

The words roused her from her stupor and she looked at Chat.

Or, more specifically, his lips. Just like when she used it in battle, everything clicked and she saw _exactly_ what she was supposed to use it for.

She closed her hand around the container of chap stick that she had conjured and jolted to her feet. She hide her blush by turning around and pulled out her yo-yo.

Chat was calling out after her as she swung off. “Laaadybuugg! What was it?! What were you supposed to do with it?! Now I've even more curious!” He continued to whine at her until she faded from his view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The specific item conjured is inspired by this post: http://dannybird22.tumblr.com/post/170368941372/kittykichi-lucky-charm-works-in-mysterious
> 
> I loved it, so I had to write it up my own version.


	4. Puns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: EXCESSIVE PUNS DETECTED. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

Today had been a good day. Marinette had gotten to school on time. There was no akuma to go chasing after. She had exchanged words with Adrien without making a fool of herself. She got high marks on her assignments. Chloe was less of a heartless bully than usual. The best possible outcome, all around.

Which brought her to patrol...

Generally, it was pleasant. Chat – though a goof and dorky – was lovable in his own way, and chasing each other over the night shrouded streets of Paris was a fun and practical use of her time.

But tonight...

Chat leaped into the fog, grasping desperately. He looked back at his stunned (and slightly concerned) partner and said. “I tried to catch the fog. I guess I _mist_.”

He was on a roll. A terrible, terrible, punny roll. To make matters worse, some of them had actually made her laugh, which had encouraged him to no end. It was maddening. It should come as no surprise, then, that she broke. What was more surprising was how she broke.

She came to sudden halt on the roof they had landed on. She turned to face her partner, mock anger tinting her words. “That's it, Chat! No more! _Punderstand_?”

A pregnant silence stretched between them. Slowly, a goofy grin spread across Chat's face while Marinette felt a groan tear itself from her throat. _Great. Now I'm making them too._

“Aw, am I _bugging_ you, my lady?” He leaned towards her with wide eyes, batting his lashes at her.

She pushed him away with a snort. “No, you are making me _catatonic_ with your awful jokes.”

“You know what I heard? Cuddling a cat will make you _feline_ good.”

She put her face in her hand in mock exasperation to hide her smile. “Oh my God, Chat. I'm going to jump into the river at this rate.”

Chat reached out to stop her, saying, “If you do that, people will think you're _in Seine_!”

Never let it be said that Ladybug did not rise to any challenge presented to her. If Chat wanted a pun battle, he would get a pun battle. “Are you a yoga instructor? Because that was a _stretch_.”

His eyes lit up with joy as he retorted. “I don't suppose you noticed my new gloves?” He daintily held out his clawed gloves. “I got two left gloves. On the one hand it was great, but on the other hand, it just wasn't _right_.”

She bit her lip to deny him the satisfaction of a smile. “Speaking of your outfit, I'm not too fond of your mask. It just doesn't have any _face value_.”

“Have you ever wondered what our suits are made out of?” She was instantly suspicious of this seemingly earnest question. “Well, I asked my kwami, and it turns out mine, at least, is made of _boyfriend material_. Is yours made of _girlfriend material_?” He waggled his eyebrows at her, which prompted an eye roll.

In the most deadpan voice she could muster she replied. “You know why cats are bad storytellers? They only have one _tail_.”

Chat's own tail swung gently back and forth along the ground. “Have you ever wondered why we eat snails?” He tapped his chin in thoughtfulness. “You know, I think it might be because we don't like _fast food_.”

Inspiration struck as Marinette remembered the joke her dad had told her earlier that day. “Two loaves of bread wanted to get married... so they _eloafed_.”

Chat politely clapped. He gasped in mock remembrance. “Did I tell you the joke about jam? Never mind – you might _spread_ it.”

Marinette whispered to Chat. “Do you know why bread doesn't like warm weather?” He smiled and shook his head. “It gets _toasty_!” Chat couldn't respond immediately with all the laughing getting in the way.

“You remember our first battle under the Tower? It is where _Eiffel_ for you.”

She playfully shoved the shoulder he was leaning in with as she thought of a response. “Did you know I can jump higher than the Eiffel Tower?” Chat shot her a look of confusion. “Of course, it isn't that hard since the Eiffel Tower can't jump.” He groaned, and she laughed.

“You are good at this. In fact, I am willing to go so far as to say you won. Would you like your reward?”

She gave him a sidelong look. “Depends on the prize.”

“I'll give you a kiss. If you don't like it, you can always _return it_.” He leaned in with his eyes closed, apparently to make good on his promise.

She used his back as a springboard and leaped over him, giggling. “Not today, kitty. And it seems we are done with patrol for today.” She winked. “See you next time.” She swung off towards home, making sure he couldn't get the last word.


	5. Bell

The akuma of earlier that day had taken a lot out of them, but they were at least secure in the knowledge that Hawkmoth almost never sent out more than one a day. With their exhaustion from school, the mid-afternoon fight, and general lack of sleep, they wordlessly decided to spend their patrol simply laying down on the Eiffel Tower.

At some point, Marinette had settled her head onto Chat's lap, looking up at him as their conversation had continued. Normally, she wouldn't, but she was tired and he was a comfortable pillow. Besides, their relationship had reached a point where touching each other platonically was fairly common.

In any case, as she was looking up, the light caught his bell just so that it drew her attention to it. Abruptly, she asked, “Why do you have a bell?”

He glanced down at her, then the offending item. “Huh? I dunno, it just came with the suit.”

“My kwami had told me that the suit is made with our inner desires in mind. I can kinda see the use of the rest of your outfit – the tail has been useful sometimes, the ears are practical. But a bell?” She reached up and flicked it. It produced a satisfying ring.

He turned his head to the side in mock offense. “Well, _I_ like the bell. It completes the look. If I didn't have it, I might look like an angsty anti-hero. Now everyone can tell at a glance that I am the lovable hero of Paris.”

She scoffed and then laughed. “I don't think anyone who has heard you pun in the middle of a fight would call you an angsty anti-hero.” She flicked it again. “And I didn't say I hated it, kitty. I'd even say it is cute. But you put bells on house cats.” Tauntingly, she continued. “Are you saying on some level you don't want to be an alley cat, but rather a tame house kitten?”

He looked back down at her, still in his lap. “That depends. Are you offering to bring me into your home? Are you going to make me your house cat?”

She scoffed and sat up. She turned around to look at him pouting at her. Patting his head, she responded, “Poor kitty. But doesn't the bell get in the way of stealth?”

“Well, the point of us is usually to get the villains' attention as soon as possible to draw them away from innocents. So I don't get to be stealthy very often.” She remembered the many times he has tried to sneak up on her when they met up on patrol. Some of her disbelief must have shown through since he added, “But it isn't as hard as you might think to move in such a way that the bell doesn't ring. Just took some practice is all.”

“Yeah, yeah. You wouldn't _need_ practice if you didn't have the bell-” She was forced to stop mid-rant when she yawned. “Ugh. I'm getting tired, Chat. See you next patrol, hopefully?” _Since the other option would be an akuma battle._ They rose to their feet.

He bowed. “I look forward to it.” She flicked his bell one last time, drawing giggles from the both of them before they departed.


	6. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir surprise each other with gifts for their one year anniversary - of their partnership.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of these prompts are trying to make me dip into angst, but they shall not break me! Fluff forever!

Marinette was putting the finishing touches on the pair of dolls she was sewing. Chat had let slip that he had a pair of exclusive Ladybug and Chat Noir 'action figures,' which prompted an entire patrol where Marinette teased him over the dolls. Of course, she didn't mind whatsoever, but it was nice to get Chat back sometimes with all the flirting he did.

_Chat Noir_... Her deft needlework paused for a moment as she stared into space. It was going to be a year to the day this Friday when they had been partners for a full year. It felt so much longer. Whether that was because she had gotten to be so close with her feline companion, or because his jokes just made it seem like an eternity had passed, she hadn't quite decided.

With the final bits of velcro sewn into the fists of the dolls, she placed them into the bag she had made especially for them. Her parents would be in bed soon, which meant she would be able to make some late night pastries without any questions, and grab the snacks she had asked her papa to make. She may have lived in a bakery her entire life, but that was no match for the skills he had honed over those years. She left the majority of it to him, but there was something special she wanted to make for Chat, something that her parents couldn't see...

Once it was ready, she added it to the basket of sweets and left for their meeting place as Ladybug.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Adrien was doing probably couldn't be considered 'wise.' Wisdom would have been purchasing a few well-chosen gifts and placing them in a nice basket.

But, as Adrien was coming to realize, he was a fool. Once he started shopping for his lady, well... He had worried at first that the basket he had gotten for it was too big, but now, he was having the opposite problem. He had also worried that he wouldn't know what to get her, but the moment he had begun searching, he realized that he had a better handle on what she liked than he had thought.

Although, the secrecy that they had to have between them made shopping difficult. Eventually, he figured that he knew she was overworked and he figured that she would appreciate things for relaxation. And so the gift basket began getting filled. It started innocently, with lotions and body butter. Then the loofa. Then the lotions multiplied into varied scents. Then he found the crowning piece – a series of bubble bath soap chips in the shape of roses.

The final thing added was silk ribbons to tie the basket together – and for her to tie her hair with. He may not know her style (or measurements) out of uniform, but he at least knew she could use ribbons.

With his heartbeat quickening in excitement, he double checked that he had everything before leaping out of his bedroom window as Chat Noir.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Marinette had, unusually, been the first to show. She was watching the horizon from her vantage point on the Eiffel Tower, swinging her legs idly and humming a Jagged Stone song. She felt Chat land behind her and she could tell he was taking care to make enough noise to alert her to his presence.

She spoke over her shoulder as she began to turn around, “Not going to be the sneaky kitty today?” She had intended to continue the sentence, but caught sight of Chat Noir on the opposite end of the platform. Or, more accurately, she saw the large basket being carried by Chat. It was wrapped in black paper, which was held together with a pair of bright green silk ribbons. She stood up slowly as he grinned.

“Bugaboo! Are you ready to be dazzled?” His winning smile took on a desperate edge as she stormed towards him. “My lady?” She was almost on top of him, and his eyes began to widen in fear. “Ladybug?”

He winced when she smacked him on the arm. She put her hands on her hips and glared at her dumb, over-the-top, partner. “How much did you spend?!”

He blinked owlishly at her. “Huh?” Clearly, he hadn't counted on her getting upset.

“I don't want you to bankrupt yourself buying me gifts!”

To her irritation, he laughed and passed the basket over to her. She begrudgingly took it. “My lady, you _really_ shouldn't worry about that. Besides, it seems you got me something too.”

She spared a glance at the container of sweets she had assembled. _Well, he wasn't wrong, but..._ “I _made_ those myself! I only spent money on the materials.”

Chat stopped midway towards grabbing it. His back was towards her so she couldn't see his face. “You... made something for me?” His voice was uncertain, and wavered.

Slowly, she nodded, unsure of what he was feeling. Realizing he couldn't see that, she said, “Yes, I did. Well, most of it I had help with, but the important stuff I made myself.”

He turned to face her. His eyes were watering and his voice quivered as he stumbled back toward her. “You really are the best partner ever!”

She had to hurry to (gently) set down his gift before he came barreling in to hug her. While this outpouring of emotion was unusual for her 'cool' cat, she felt the sincerity behind it and hugged back. Rubbing circles in his back she murmured, “Oh kitty, kitty.” After standing like that for a few moments longer, Chat seemed to pull himself together and walk back towards where she had been sitting. Marinette retrieved her gift and went to join him.

Chat brought the basket onto his lap just as Marinette sat beside him. Even from where she was sitting she could smell the rush of sweets. She was in a prime position to watch his eyes become like saucers as they danced over the variety pack she had made for him. Macaroons, croissants, a black cake with green frosting that said “Cataclysm.” Wonder turned to curiosity as he found a bag.

A bag labeled, “Partners.”

With a confused glance toward Marinette, who simply gave a small smile, he pulled out the bag, basket set aside for the moment. He undid the string and reached his hand in, pulling out two dolls – one in his likeness and one in her own. A smile slowly formed on his features as he turned them over in his hands.

“They remind me of the dolls the Puppeteer used to control us with. But there is a lot more to these ones than the others.”

Marinette froze for a moment. _Wait! Crap! Would he remember where they came from?!_ She gave a nervous giggle. “Yeah, those ones actually gave me the inspiration to make these. I couldn't remember _precisely_ how they looked, but I thought I'd give it a try.” She smiled mischievously. “Well, the other part of the inspiration was the dolls you were telling me you played with.”

Chat blushed, inspection forgotten as he turned to Ladybug. He whined, “I told you! They are action figures! Entirely different.”

She giggled. “I know, kitty. I'm just teasing.” She took one – the Chat doll – from his not-resisting hand and pointed out the hands. “I added velcro on the fists.” She dug into the bag and pulled out a wooden staff painted in the image of Chat's baton. “So you can stick your pole onto the hands or...” She grabbed the Ladybug doll, which he was more reluctant to part with. “...you can make them fist bump.” She latched their hands together. “Pound it!” 

He giggled. Then he seemed to notice the tags at their feet. “What are these?”

“Those are the descriptions I gave each of us.”

He perked up. “Really?” He snatched the Ladybug doll out of her hand. “‘Ladybug - Powers of Creation and Good Fortune. Part of the Bug and Cat team. Chat Noir’s bestest friend.”

She turned the Chat doll over in her hand and read his description aloud. “Most supportive, kind hearted, and loyal partner anyone could ask for.”

It was at that moment she looked back to Chat, who was staring at her, rather than reading over her shoulder as she expected. He was smiling warmly and his eyes watched her tenderly. He pulled her into a half-hug and rested his head on top of hers, whispering, “Best. Partner. Ever.”

The affection got to her for a moment and she blushed. Then she coughed and turned to the gift that Chat had given her. “Anyway! Let's see what _you_ got _me_.” She gave him a side eye. “I swear, if you aren't eating this week because of this...” She undid the ribbon and let the paper fall to the side. Her eyes went wide with surprise. Much like with Chat's gift, opening this basket had released a mixture of pleasant smells which immediately filled the air.

She could feel herself smiling as she picked out all her favorite scents (lilac, lavender, goji berry, and so on), with strawberry dominant among them. Sorting through the gifts, she saw that a common theme was calm and relaxation – all the ingredients for a perfect spa day were laid out in front of her. Certainly there was enough lotions and bath supplies to last her for months.

Turning to Chat, she said, teasingly, “Are you trying to say that I smell, kitty?”

His dopey smile vanished and she very nearly felt bad before he started verbally falling over himself. She rescued him by gently placing a hand on his cheek. “I'm kidding, Chat! I love it, and I know I'll be getting a lot of use out of it.” His chest swelled with pride.

“Would you care to help me through these snacks, my lady?”

“Only if you are willing to help me through this box of chocolates, chaton.”

They talked and ate and laughed for the remainder of the night, until it could more appropriately be called the morning, when they reluctantly went home to catch a few hours of blissful sleep.


	7. Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a steady rhythm that Marinette and Chat Noir had fallen into. The months of fighting alongside one another had made them a better team, but it was the late night talks about nothing and small things they do for each other that made them inseparable partners.

“Ladybug?”

“Yeah, Chat?”

“You ever look out at the stars and think how small we are?”

Marinette bit her lip to hold back laughter. “You know, I might have. If it weren't for the fact that we are in a big city and can't actually see the stars.”

A long pause.

“Yeah. I guess that might make it difficult.”

They were lying on their backs on a rooftop, close enough that their shoulders touched, staring at the inky blackness of the midnight sky.

“Ladybug?”

She was smiling now, wondering what Chat's next question would be. He had been at this for an hour now, asking all sorts of 'deep' questions, often getting shut down by Ladybug. At a certain point, it had simply become a joke that they just couldn't let go. It had been worth sticking with if only to see how many inane questions Chat had stored in his brain. “Yeah, Chat?”

“Do you... uhhhh... do you believe in ghosts?”

“I think the better question, my curious kitty, is: Do ghosts believe in me?”

Chat went silent. Eventually, she heard a tiny, awed, “Woah.”

At this, Marinette lost it and they both dissolved into laughing fits.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Pound it!”

The two of them had just accomplished something that was becoming increasingly rare – defeating an akuma without expending their powers. Without shrill beeps warning them of their collapsing transformations, they had the time to take in a job well done. Reporters smelled a chance and charged forward, but they had annoyed Marinette recently by calling Chat Noir her sidekick. It may have been immature, but she leaped away from them, Chat in tow.

Once they landed a fair distance away, Chat came up to her. “Well, since we have some free time... want to go get ice cream? I'm pretty sure I saw Andre's ice cream stand during that battle~”

Marinette frowned. On the one hand, she definitely couldn't go back to Alya, since she had told Alya she was going home. And since her parents weren't expecting her for a few hours, she had time to spare where she was officially nowhere. But! She also didn't want to give Chat the wrong impression by going to the man known for love ice cream. “Sure, but let’s go somewhere else. One of my favorite ice cream shops is nearby.”

If Chat was disappointed that they wouldn't be going to Andre's then he hid it well. As they landed on the roof, Marinette slapped her palm to her face. Chat seemed worried. “What's wrong, bug?”

“I forgot that I don't have money on me. Guess we'll have to come back later.” She prepared to launch her yo-yo when Chat grabbed her wrist.

“I can pay for both of us! Don't worry.” She was about to decline (who knows how much or little money he had as a civilian?), but the hope in his eyes broke her down.

There were no customers, and the owner of the store stood behind the counter. He didn't look up as he cleaned the counter, “Sorry, we are closing, you'll-” He glanced at his potential patrons. Marinette could almost see the cogs in his head stop entirely as he processed who was at the door. “Oh! Come in, come in! What I can get the heroes of Paris?”

They ordered their ice cream, but upon trying to pay, the man refused. “No, you give so much to Paris already. I cannot take your money as well.” They managed to talk him into accepting payment – in the form of a picture with the duo flanking him to hang on the wall of the store.

High on top of the Eiffel Tower, Chat ate his cookie dough ice cream while Ladybug enjoyed her strawberry scoops. A comfortable silence born of solid friendship bridged the distance between them.


	8. Hand Kiss

It had been two weeks since their superhero careers had started. There had only been a few akuma villains in the time since Stoneheart. They were excited by the powers that had been placed on them, and determined to bring a quick end to Hawkmoth's evil.

Which brought them to their makeshift fort in an abandoned house. From here, they hatched many of their earliest plans. Although only the idea of a patrol would last in the coming months, certain... traditions... would also be born here. At the conclusion of one such meeting...

“...And, if all goes well, Hawkmoth will be brought to justice!” Ladybug raised her fist to chest height, fierce determination lighting her eyes.

Adrien allowed himself a moment to be dazzled by her conviction before giving a small bow. “Spot on as usual, my Ladybug.” He reached out to grab her hand. Her expression shifted to a look of curiosity, then exasperation as he brought it to his lips.

Using that same hand, she poked his nose. He leaned back, crinkling it in irritation. “You are quite the flirt, aren't you?”

He placed a hand on his chest in mock offense. Even as he tilted his head up snootily and stood ramrod straight, he grinned to help undercut his posturing. “How dare you! Of all the lies and slander! I am nothing but the perfect gentleman!”

Ladybug pretended to inspect her fingernails (despite still being in her suit), “And yet here we are with the pick up lines and frequent contact.”

“I'll have you know that I am your knight in shining leather.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Chat, I'm pretty sure I can take you in a fight.” She flicked his bell. “Also, shining leather? Seriously?” She put a finger to her lips and narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “In fact,” she looked back up at him, “I think that would make you the damsel in distress and me the knight in shining armor.”

He pouted, then whined petulantly. “Laaadybug!” This was not how he wanted this conversation to go. His research (consisting of a rom-com binge and reading through several shoujo mangas) had not prepared him for her to turn the tables on him.

She threw herself in front of him, taking a defensive stance. “What it is, my damsel? Is there danger?”

“Stooop!”

She giggled and patted his head. “How about a compromise? We can both be knights, okay?” His ears pricked up as she continued. “Roaming the land, fighting evil, protecting the innocent? How does that sound to you?”

He grumbled. “I guess that is pretty cool...”

She responded sweetly, “What? I didn't quite catch that?”

Throwing his hands in the air, he repeated himself, “Fine, fine! It sounds cool!”

There was a pause.

“Can I still call you my lady?”

Rolling her eyes, she responded. “Whatever makes you happy, kitty.”

Feeling pleased with this minor victory, they parted ways until the next meeting.


	9. Claws and Bugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out that some unadvertised abilities come along with being the bearers of the Miraculous.

Chat gasped. “Here is my chance!”

Ladybug looked over at him, but he had jumped off the roof into the alley below. She looked around, confused, trying to find what he had seen. She got her answer a moment later as Chat landed in the middle of a few literal alley cats. He tilted his head up to her, a mad grin on his face. He shrunk his baton and held it in one hand. “Ladybug! Here, take this and take a video for snapchat!” He tossed his weapon up at her.

She caught it reflexively, but groaned. He had been telling her all night that he and cats and an almost magical connection. _Has he really been searching for an opportunity like this all night?_

The baton proved a bit less intuitive than her compact – although, that might simply be because it was another miraculous user's item. Before long, she had the video running and zoomed in on Chat Noir and his antics.

Chat's eyes reflected the light as he looked back to her. “Are you filming?” She nodded. “Clawesome. Hey cool cats, Chat Noir here. I'm just about to prove Ladybug _wrong_ by showing off my _very real_ psychic bond with these kitties.” Without any further explanation, he turned to the three feral cats lurking in the shadows. He crouched low to the ground, and, to her surprise (and seemingly to the surprise of the cats), pulled off a very convincing meow.

One of the cats slowly crept out from its hiding spot, sniffing the air cautiously. A second emerged, following the first. They were mere inches from him when she heard a hiss to the left. A scraggly tomcat with its fur sticking up was circling Chat Noir, who had begun circling as well. The two brave kitties had darted back into the shadows. Chat glared at this new arrival, a low growl at the back of his throat. “This does not concern you, _Jacque_.”

The idea of Chat having a mortal nemesis in the form of an alley cat caused Marinette to giggle, which drew all cat eyes (including her partner's) onto her. In a flash, they had all scattered, leaving Chat alone with her. He pouted as he sat like a cat in the middle of the alley path. “Buuuug! You ruined it! Now I can't post that video...”

“Aaaaaand posted.”

“Noooooo!”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several months into their superhero adventures came the first winter that Marinette had been Ladybug. She had noticed a number of odd traits that she retained in her civilian form, but none were quite as annoying or debilitating as the effect that the cold had on her. Most of the time it was simply discomfort and sluggishness.

But it was a particularly cold night for patrol today, in the days following Christmas. Their suits were fairly good at protecting them from the elements – so there wasn't a great risk of harm – but her reaction to it had been... an interesting one for Chat Noir.

“My lady? Are you alright?” His worried – but halting – tone cut through the fog of her thoughts to draw her eyes up to his. He gulped and she could feel his heart quicken.

She settled back into place, arms crossed over her stomach. Her voice was muffled as she responded sleepily. “Mmhmm. Doing great, kitty cat. Why do you ask?”

“Um, well,” he started, his voice betraying his nervousness, “normally, you aren't quite so... clingy.” He gestured down at her. She was nuzzled up against his ( _warm, very warm_ ) chest. She glared at her pillow. _Why are boys so warm? It is unfair._ Chat seemed to take her glare personally, however, as he hastily added, “N-Not that I mind, of course! I just think that, uh, maybe, you are very tired right now? Come to think of it, you've been very tired for most of the winter patrols.”

She lifted her head to put her chin on his chest, allowing her to look up at him and speak unimpeded. “Don't like cold. Makes me sleepy.” She yawned and returned to her previous position.

She felt as much as heard a rumbling come from within his chest. In her present state, she couldn't quite place the noise. “I see. Well, w-we, uh, might have to make these patrols shorter and fewer during winter then.” Her looked down where she was curled up against him. He spoke softly, but firmly. “You need to go home, Ladybug.”

“Noooo... I need to protect Paris.”

“I'll do a quick patrol, but you can't protect Paris like this.” Spitefully, she hugged herself more tightly and refused to move. “...Please? Bugaboo?”

She uncurled – with great reluctance – and haltingly stood up. Chat nodded appreciatively. “Okay. Good. Call me when you get home, okay? If you don't call me in ten minutes, I'll come looking for you.”

She groggily grunted and swung off. She got home, contacted Chat, and settled into bed. In the morning, she would kick herself about tonight, but for now she was snug and warm. As usual, her last thoughts before sleep were of a green-eyed, blonde boy. What she didn't remember the following morning, was that this one had been wearing a mask...


	10. Friends

“Chat Noir? Can I ask you something?” They sat hidden on Notre Dame, having taken a break in the middle of their patrol. Chat was laying on his back while Marinette was hanging her legs off the edge of the cathedral.

“Of course, my lady.”

“Do you find it difficult to hide your identity from your family? Like, do you feel that you are betraying their trust?” She was surprised when he snorted.

“Definitely not.” He looked over to Marinette. Some of the shock must have shown on her face, since he elaborated. “My... family is very strict, trying to monopolize all the time they can. Being Chat gives me freedom that they won't let me have normally. Including the freedom to woo beautiful ladies.” He waggled his eyebrows at Marinette from his lazy position. She shoved him with her foot, but had a small smile.

“I'm sorry, kitty. I have a friend whose home life is a lot like that, so I kinda understand how much a pain it is.” Poor Adrien could barely hang out at all – even with Nino it was touch and go. But she still needed to get something off her chest with Chat, since he was the only one who could relate. “What about hiding it from your friends? Is that harder for you?”

He sat up on his elbows. “Oh yeah. I only get to hang out at his house sometimes, but once I went recently and he had a bunch of Chat posters on his walls.” He gave a toothy grin. “Ever since, he has been telling me how awesome I am without realizing it. I really, really want to make his day by revealing his best friend is also his hero, but...” He shrugged and sat up, pulling his knees to his chest. “...It is difficult.” He locked eyes with Marinette. “Why do you bring it up?”

“My best friend is one of those people who is determined to unmask me. She collects everything Ladybug she can get, she religiously compiles all information about me available.”

He snickered. “That must make things awkward, my lady.”

“You don't know the half of it!” She flung her hands to the sky in exasperation, letting them settle onto her face as she continued. “She keeps telling me all the information she has acquired, and I'm the first to hear about all her plots to 'finally figure out who the _real_ Ladybug is.'” She let out a deep sigh. “I don't know. It is helpful that I find out before she springs them on me. Some of them were pretty cunning. But...” She trailed off as she looked out onto the horizon.

“But... sometimes you wonder, if they idolize me so much, why can't they see me standing right here?” Chat finished for her. Her eyes were drawn to him again. He was staring straight ahead of him, into space.

“Yes... yes, that's exactly it!” She had been having trouble putting into words the exact unease she had felt about this. It had been more than simply fear at discovery, she knew. She put on a sly grin. “For a silly kitty, you can be surprisingly thoughtful.

He looked back up at her, and though he smiled, she could see sadness in his eyes. “Guess I've had some experience with that in my normal life, bugaboo.”

She didn't know much about his life, but she didn't need to know much to be concerned for him. She slide over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I'm sorry if this upset you, kitty. But at least we have each other, right?”

“It is alright, my lady. I'm fine.”

“Oh? Well, that's a shame. Cuz we _could_ go and get some ice cream... but, if you're feeling better...”

His ears perked up. He went limp against her, placing an arm dramatically across his face. “I was merely putting on a brave face, bugaboo. I simply can't go on... please... ice cream...”

They returned later to Notre Dame with their ice cream, the patrol forgotten in favor of late night conversations.


	11. Habits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir has gotten into the habit of posting nonsense to his superhero social media accounts.

Alya, being the investigative journalist she was, explored all avenues of information concerning Ladybug and Chat Noir that she could. And, although she was glad for it, she felt a bit... cheated, when Chat Noir would post videos of him and Ladybug online. It was as if she was being deprived of a hunt. Regardless, she made a habit of checking Ladybug and Chat Noir's social media.

Currently, she was watching a video posted to Chat's Snapchat.

Chat was holding the recording device (which Alya was pretty sure was his baton – she knew she had seen it used as a communication device before, so maybe it actually worked like a smart phone?) shakily and had it pointed towards Ladybug. It seemed to be angled up, if the below shot of Ladybug's face, and the large patches of sky were any indication. She seemed unaware of the camera trained on her.

“Hey, Ladybug?”

She looked at Chat. “Yes?”

“Why couldn't the bicycle stand up by itself?” Her only response was a tired sigh. “Because it was too tired! Get it?!” She buried her face in her hands and the video ended.

Alya suppressed laughter. Not so much at Chat's joke, but rather at the exaggerated disgust Ladybug had at it.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was late at night a few days later, while Alya was working on her homework, that the next SnapChat was posted. She eagerly opened it to see what mischief Chat was getting into now.

The camera angle was much the same as last time, except now it was evening and Ladybug was illuminated by streetlights.

“My lady? Did I ever tell you I used to design clothing?”

Ladybug seemed surprised and curious. “Really?”

Chat hummed affirmatively. “Yes, I even had a plan to make a belt out of clocks. I scrapped the idea though. I figured it would just be a _waist_ of time.”

Ladybug, confident protector of Paris and all around badass, leaned her head back and groaned at the heavens. “ _Why_ do you do this Chat- Why do you have your baton out?”

The screen went to black as Alya stared at the screen. _Did Ladybug just kill Chat Noir? Did I just witness a murder?_ Bemusedly, she returned to her homework.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Chat Noir – for good or ill – survived his encounter with an irate Ladybug. Alya saw the evidence first hand when she went to record an akuma battle Friday afternoon. Surprisingly, she also saw a new SnapChat ten minutes later. This time, the camera was showing a view of the Mayor's hotel before switching to Chat Noir's face. Just beyond him, Alya could see Ladybug looking out over the city, not watching her partner. _Which was probably a mistake._

“Hey, bugaboo?”

Ladybug looked over to Chat, about to respond, when she locked eyes with the camera in the baton. Her expression turned angry and suddenly Chat was moving while yelling his joke out quickly in one breath, “What job does a frog have at a hotel? A bell hop!”

The screen shook and went dark. This time Alya was certain Chat hadn't gotten away. She gave a quick prayer for the dearly departed feline hero.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

To Alya's amazement, a few minutes later there was another SnapChat. Once she opened it, however, she began giggling.

Chat was bound to the top of the Eiffel Tower with Ladybug's yo-yo. Ladybug seemed to be holding his baton, pointing the camera over her shoulder at her partner. For his part, Chat was pouting and giving sad eyes to the camera.

“Sorry everyone! It seems a certain silly kitty has lost his social media privileges for the next week.” Chat Noir made sputtering noises. “For the next _two_ weeks.” He quieted immediately. “He is sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. Bug out!” She winked at the camera and the video ended.


	12. Time

Marinette leaped forward, her yo-yo snaking out to latch onto a gargoyle from a nearby cathedral. Pulling at the climax of her jump, she added the momentum to her motion, trying to go as fast as she possibly could. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Chat Noir. Briefly, she caught the look on his face.

He was far more serious than she had seen him in a long time. His eyes were firmly fixed on the horizon, lips pursed into a thin line, and the ends tilted toward into an irritated frown. He jumped and ran alongside her, just as determined as she was to reach their destination.

For a stretch they ran side by side along a snow covered rooftop. The last rays of the sun shone upon the white blanket, casting a blinding glare on them. Chat was normally the one more bothered by such things, but this time he took it in an uncharacteristic growl.

Of course, the cold was normally something that Marinette could barely function in, but this time she felt a fire within her keeping her warm. They had to make it in time. There was no other option that she was willing to consider. This plan had been in motion for a full two weeks now – they couldn't fail at the final hour.

The unfortunate part was that they absolutely _were_ going to make it, no problem. But then there was the akuma... She thought back to the slippery villain they had faced. From what they could tell, it had been a man whose Christmas vacation to southern Italy had been delayed due to the unexpected blizzard. He had, in turn, tried to ruin everyone's day by freezing things at random. Not terribly inspired as akumas go, but he was a coward that fled at the sight of them – not Hawkmoth's greatest champion.

Tracking him down had taken longer than fighting him. And that meant they were running late. She could only hope that they made it in time...

Marinette's face lit up as she spotted the location – Mayor Andre's hotel. Beside her, Chat Noir let out a whoop of joy. A crowd had already formed and the mayor was standing nervously in front of the door on a podium. He was visibly relieved when the duo landed on his left. His hand on the microphone, he turned his head to them. “Thank goodness you made it! I wasn't sure when I heard about the akuma sighting on the other end of the city...”

Chat held up a hand. “Don't worry, Mr. Mayor. There is no way we'd miss this photo shoot. Especially since it is for such a worthy cause.”

Nodding, the mayor turned back to the microphone and the crowd. “Welcome, welcome! Since the guests of honor are now here, we can commence. We will give them a few minutes to speak with the photographers and get prepared! Now, as you all should be aware, the fee is ten euros per picture – up to three – with Ladybug and Chat Noir. All proceeds will be going to charity. We have them scheduled for the next four hours, so there is no need to hurry. While you are waiting, you may enter the lobby of the hotel to warm up.” Stepping away from the stand, all three of them hurried inside, the crowd hot on their heels. Giving a small bow to the superheroes, the mayor stood near the door to greet those entering.

Marinette would remember the events going by swiftly. Most people she had never met, but she did recognize a great many former akuma victims, who had wished to thank the heroes of Paris personally. In most cases, they had paid extra for their pictures in honor of their heroics.

Alya had visited, taking the maximum amount of pictures she could get away with – two of her and Ladybug and one of all three of them. In their next sleepover, she would excitedly show them to Marinette – proudly framed and place in a spot of honor on her wall.

Nino stopped by, taking only two – one with all three, and one with just him and Chat making “cool” poses at the camera. For some reason, Chat had seemed especially pleased with how those pictures had turned out.

In fact, her entire class had made appearances, either singly or as groups. Ivan and Mylene posed between the duo, giving thirty euros for their one picture. After all, they said, Ladybug was the reason they had gotten together at all. And both of them had been rescued from being akumatized. Chloe had taken a total of five pictures, all with Ladybug, but at least she had paid for them. Rose and Juleka paid together to be held bridal style by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Eventually, it all became a blur. Marinette returned home, exhausted. In the morning, she discovered that nine thousand eight hundred euros had been raised for charity. Smiling to herself, she made a note in her diary that they needed to do this again next year.


	13. Food

Adrien sat perched on the Eiffel Tower, watching the snow gently fall over his beloved city. A thin dusting had already gathered, enough to create the wintery aesthetic. _A bit too late for that, really._ Adrien thought to himself. It was the first week of March already, so this was one of the last hurrahs of the cold before spring would get started proper.

Ladybug was running late. He frowned. It wasn't entirely unexpected. Their patrols had certainly been shorter and more sporadic during the winter. At this point, he had gone three weeks without patrolling with her. Which didn't seem to have much of an impact besides making him miss his lady more.

Still, when she was forced to let him do patrol on his own, she generally called ahead of time to let him know. Precisely to avoid the situation he was in now – with a cold butt from sitting on the metal of their meeting place. He sighed and got up. It was very possible she had to entertain surprise guests, or family, or something. Not everyone had nobody wanting to spend time with them in the same way Adrien did, after all.

Just as he was about to launch himself off, he heard a voice call out, “Woah, kitty, kitty. You weren't going to leave so soon, were you?”

His ears perked up as he turned around. Ladybug was moving towards him, a playful smile on her face. She was carrying a pair of brown paper bags, one of which had the symbol of a nearby bakery on it. He was joyful to see her before – now he was ecstatic. _But first, I must greet my lady._ He bowed, one hand crossed over his chest. “Good evening, bugaboo. I thought the cold was keeping you.”

She watched a spot behind him. He glanced back to see his tail excitedly sweeping back and forth. Smiling, she said, “You seem glad to see me. Or perhaps, just glad to see some food?” She opened one of the bags to hand him a paper cup with a lid on it. He took the steaming hot beverage and smelled it. Chocolate. He smiled to match her own. _This woman..._

Rustling around in the second bag, she continued, “I don't know what sort of croissants you like, so I just got double of what I liked and hoped for the best.” She pulled one out and handed it to him. He took a large bite. _If it was anything like her taste in ice cream..._ Sure enough, the taste of strawberry filled his mouth. He hummed happily while she sat down to sip her hot chocolate.

After he settled beside her, she continued. “The cold still bothers me, but I wanted to get back into patrols.” She bumped shoulders with him – gently, as they both had hot chocolate. The suits would've protected them, but that wouldn't have saved the chocolate. “I've been missing my time with my silly kitty. So, what's new?”

It only took ten minutes for them to finish off the snacks, but they stayed there for another hour, getting caught up. Adrien smiled as he realized she came out in the cold solely to see him. He felt a warmth inside that had nothing to do with the chocolate (though it helped).


	14. Encouragement

Marinette landed in her room, transformation dropping as she hit her bed. Tikki yawned and lazily floated over to the desk, where her cookies were stashed. Marinette followed, taking a seat in front of her computer, absently pulling up news sites while she did so.

She watched Tikki work her way through several of the cookies that were much bigger than herself. _Where does it all go...?_ “I guess you are running on empty after that big fight, huh Tikki?”

Big, tired eyes meet Marinette's. Tikki gave a weary smile. “Yeah, the fights where Chat Noir is...” She trailed off, eyes glazed as she tried to find the right words. “...out of commission, are the hardest ones.” Her face brightened. “But at least this time, he wasn't forced to fight you! Just, uh-” She was interrupted by a video on the news playing on its own.

A short jingle played to introduce Nadia Chamack. “Chat Noir – hero of Paris, or danger-prone goofball? An hour ago, a villain with power over plants had incapacitated the feline hero through the use of a summoned field of catnip. While this didn't seem to have an impact at first – theorized to be his human senses dulling the effect – this eventually lead to an hour of activities such as this.” The video switched to show a screen, where footage of Chat Noir played.

First, there was the scene where he seemed to be his normal self. He was standing a bit too close to Ladybug than normal, but otherwise fine. When he started pawing at her (literally – just pawing at her shoulders or back), rubbing his head against her, and getting distant expressions on his face, she had known something was up.

It had just been downhill from there, with him generally rolling around on the ground among the plants. Thankfully, the villain lost interest in him once he ceased actively fighting, but it had been a frustrating fight. He seemed to be in a great hurry to leave once he was restored to normal. From the brief flash of his bright red face, Marinette assumed he had been too embarrassed to talk to her.

Which was unfortunate for him, since they had patrol tonight.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marinette landed on their spot on the Eiffel Tower. Sure enough, Chat Noir was there, although it was clearly he desperately didn't want to be. He was sitting on the platform, legs dangling over the edge. His cat ears were pressed flat to his head and he hadn't look up upon her arrival. She was well aware of his heightened senses, and she was therefore certain that he had heard her landing. _Unless he was so caught up in today's events that he didn't._

She sat beside him, staring off into the horizon. She knew her Chat well enough that in these situations, she had to let him reach out first. Otherwise, he would get embarrassed all over again and clam up.

They sat, her waiting and him wallowing, for long minutes. Eventually, he spoke, voice cracking. “Are you ashamed of me, Ladybug?”

She blinked. She hadn't expected this line of questioning, but without missing a beat she moved into comfort. “No, Chat, of course not.” She patted his back.

“I don't remember much of it. But I saw the videos...” She cringed. That much footage might haunt him for a while to come. Most of the reporting on it had pulled no punches in making jokes at his expense. “...I really let you down, didn't I?”

“No, Chat, this was something beyond your control. We won in the end, like we always do.” Her hand was rubbing comforting circles into his back.

“Which just goes to show how little you need me.” She turned to glare at him, but he was staring ahead, lost in his own thoughts. “Today was embarrassing. I was taken out of the fight – I couldn't help you at all. But then there are all the times when they've actually made me fight you... Can you really trust me after all that?” He finished by looking into her eyes, his own filled with worry and fear.

She smacked him on the back of the head. Not hard, but enough to startled him. Her glare softened but did not vanish. “You are my partner, Chat Noir. I trust you with my very life, and you have never let me down. You've thrown yourself between me and danger too many times than I like to remember. You are loyal and selfless.” She put a hand on his cheek to keep his gaze since his watering eyes threatened to break away. “Hawkmoth is a manipulator. He makes good people into villains all the time. I don't blame any of them. Why would I blame my alley cat?” She leaned her forehead against his.

He smiled falteringly. “Thanks, my lady. I... needed that.”

They looked out onto the late night horizon. Marinette almost didn't voice her next thoughts, but decided Chat was reassured enough for some teasing. “Besides... it was really cute.”

He blushed and whined. “Ladybug! Nooooo...”

“You were rolling around on the ground and brushing up against things, like an actual cat! It was _precious_.”

“Stoooop...”

She giggled and ran her fingers through his hair as he turned away from her. Despite his antics, she could tell from his body language he was at ease. In time, they got up to do the patrol they had met for, and their usual camaraderie was back in full swing.


	15. Race Through the City

Adrien's heart pounded in his chest as he dashed across the rooftops. He was chasing an elusive red blur in front of him, one that would have been difficult for anyone else to keep up with. The darkness of night offered no cover from him, between the city lights and his own enhanced senses. He closed in on the blur and pounced, clawed hand swiping across her back...

“Tag!”

With that declaration, he turned on his heels and bounded eastward. He caught a huff of annoyance as he heard Ladybug's rushed footfalls behind him. He grinned to himself, not running too fast for fear of actually losing her. Of course, he knew more than anyone else his lady's competitive streak, so he didn't need to be too worried about her falling behind.

He glanced over his shoulder. She was close enough for him to make out the determination etched into her features, fire in her eyes, and a sly smile playing at her lips. His earlier confidence evaporated, motivating him to double his efforts. Leaping over streets, dashing across rooftops, the scenery of Paris rushed past in a blur as this weekly contest of theirs carried on.

But while Adrien was more nimble and swift than Ladybug, she was better at thinking on her feet. He noticed that her footsteps had faded and he dared to turn his head back again. Only to find that there was no one there. He stopped, breathing heavily to himself as he quickly turned in all directions. Suddenly, a human missile barreled into him and he fell to the ground, strong arms pinning him.

Looming over him, he could see her face, illuminated by the street lights below, black hair blending into the starless night. Adrien blinked, mouth hanging open. Ladybug smirked. “Tag.”

She leaped off him and vanished into the night. It took him a moment to recover from how fast his heart was beating, since this time it had nothing to do with the exertion. He rolled onto his feet and bolted into the direction she had gone.

As he searched for her trail, he began smiling from the sheer joy of it all. These kind of games were certainly not Gabriel Agreste approved, and he had never gotten to indulge in them as a child. The exhilaration was entirely new to him, especially since he only got to do it once a week, at best.

It seems that while Adrien tried hard _not_ to lose his partner, she had no such qualms. Minutes passed before he saw her again. She had stopped and was hidden in the shadowed alcoves of a baroque structure. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't have been able to spot her. Unfortunately for her, he was not just anyone else. He stayed out of her line of view as he crept towards her, hoping that stealth would get him where speed had not.

Without a sound he landed above Ladybug's spot. She was still scanning the nearby rooftops, keeping hidden behind the masonry, still wearing the smirk that had set his heart on fire earlier. With a grin of his own, he sneaked behind her. He leaned forward, his mouth close to the back of her head. He whispered in her ear.

“Tag.”

She whirled around, fists swinging in a brief moment of panic. He had expected this and caught he wrists. Her panic turned to surprised relief, which became disappointment as she realized she was caught. Through it all, he made sure to wear his smuggest smile. She opened her mouth to speak – probably taunt him about not running away – when the cathedrals' bells tolled.

Midnight.

The end of tonight's patrol. Which meant that Chat Noir had won. He let his smile widen as Ladybug pouted. He was still holding her wrists in his hands, so he brought one up to his face for a kiss. “As always, my lady, you are the only quarry with the chance of eluding me.”

She rolled her eyes. “I almost won that one and you know it.”

“Of course. But you have to admit that I earned that victory with that stealthy finish. Not to mention how I had to get the timing _just_ right to coincide with the bells.”

She laughed. “You are certainly a dramatic kitty. But yes, good job. I'll just make sure not to go so easy on you in the next match. Same time next week?”

He nodded. “I wouldn't miss it for the world, bugaboo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I getcha with that first paragraph? Maybe deceive you into thinking that there might actually be angst? Ho ho! But it was a tricksy trick. Thar only be fluff here, me lads and lasses.


	16. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir reflect on fame

“Pound it!” They congratulated each other simultaneously on their defeat of the akumatized villain.

A shrill beeping alerted her that she had only minutes left before her transformation wore out. Glancing at Chat's ring, he had only a couple minutes left himself. He bowed as they got ready to split up. “It was a pleasure fighting alongside you again, my lady. Until next time.”

She winked. “See you later, Chat Noir.” Her yo-yo carried her off, trying to find a secluded spot to hide in. As she landed, about to drop her transformation, a crowd turned the corner.

The lead civilian shouted jubilantly. “There she is! It's Ladybug!” They filled the alley as they tried to get near her, their faces contorted into happy grins. The beeping became more insistent and in a panic she realized Tikki couldn't hold on much longer. She said nothing to her fans as she escaped, looking for somewhere else to hide.

She had barely made it to an unoccupied portion of a park when her costume dissolved and Tikki landed heavily in her hands. Wearily, she said, “That was too close for comfort, Marinette.”

“I know. I'm glad they like me and all, but that crowd had to have been chasing me. Don't they know how dangerous that can be?”

“Don't worry too much. We cannot control what others do. We can only be more careful in the future.”

Marinette nodded in agreement as she started to walk home.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Another job well done, Chat!” She held out her fist, which Adrien obligingly bumped.

He turned to help the newly freed akuma victim to their feet. “Do you need any help home, citizen?”

Shaking his head, the older man clutched his forehead and ambled off.

Adrien shrugged and turned back to Ladybug, about to engage in his favorite part of hero-ing (witty banter and flirting), when he was suddenly surrounded by a horde of cameras and microphones. _Ah, yes. The reporters._ It was jarring, but he had more than enough experience dealing with this as both Chat and Adrien. Ladybug struggled when they first started out, but she had gotten the hang of it with barely any pointers from him.

They all began talking over themselves so much that Adrien could barely hear when his miraculous starting beeping. He went to warn Ladybug, but he saw her place a hand over her earring. They shared a look and a nod.

Adrien pulled out his baton while grabbing Ladybug, lifting them out of the crowd. He let it fall and retracted it as Ladybug reversed their grip and swung them out of the area. She seemed to carry him for a while, being very picky on her landing spot. He grinned. “Can't get enough of me, my lady? I noticed you are back tracking.”

Humorlessly, she responded. “I had a close call after the last akuma battle, and I'd like to spare you from that as well.”

She dropped him off and he called after her. “Patrol tonight?” She gave a thumbs up as she sailed away.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ugh!” Marinette threw herself down next to Chat Noir at their spot on the Eiffel Tower. “I'm getting annoyed with all this attention. It has only been getting worse these last few weeks.”

Chat just smiled softly as he patted her back. “Such is the life of the stars, bugaboo. Admittedly, we are quite impressive.”

She turned to him, gesturing wildly. “We aren't stars, Chat! We are heroes, fighting to protect people! We shouldn't be placed on some pedestal for doing our jobs!”

“That doesn't change the fact that we are. But don't worry, fame is a fleeting thing and I'm sure things will calm down again soon.”

They did not.


	17. Catch or Fall

Marinette had a lot on her mind at the moment.

She and Chat Noir were in the middle of fighting a villain of wires and lightning called the Electrifier. The tangled cords formed the rudimentary limbs of the creature, with the villain himself wearing a rubber suit, appendages disappearing under the aforementioned cords. Cables dragged along behind him, sometimes becoming animate and lashing out at the masked heroes. She glanced around, keeping an eye out for an errant civilians – particularly one inquisitive redhead who had been nearby at the start of all this.

Marinette pouted. Thinking of Alya reminded her that all four of them were going out during the school lunch break. She was finally going to have a chance to hang out with Adrien! They were going to have coffee and eat together and Alya would be there to support her and. It. Was. Great.

And then the akuma appeared.

A low growl escaped her throat. She brought herself back into the moment by calling out to her partner. “How are you doing Chat?”

Somewhere behind her and to her left she heard Chat's voice respond. “ _Currently_? Alright, but I think we will run out of charge before he does.”

Well, if he was punning, at least she knew he wasn't injured. That last fall had worried her. “Then we need to end this sooner rather than later.” She turned around to put some space between her and the Electrifier, so she could use her Lucky Charm without interruption. Things didn't go quite according to plan.

Now, her next action reminded her that when she transformed, it was still Marinette under the costume. Sometimes, it was easy to forget, what with the different way people treated her, the confidence boost, the heightened physical abilities, and so on. So, in a way, it was oddly comforting that she could do something so distinctly Marinette as trip over her own feet as she attempted to change directions.

She would, later on, blame this on her frazzled mind – having to keep track of so many things as once, not to mention the _always_ jarring mood shift that came with akuma battles. But for now, she was plummeting to the ground, eyes screwed shut out of habit (falling was a regular occurrence for her), legs tangled uselessly with each other as she braced for impact.

An impact which came much more swiftly and with much less pain than she had expected. She opened her eyes to realize she had a death grip on the chest and back of a certain black-clad hero. His hands gripped her shoulders as she balanced herself. Concerned green eyes looking down at her, he asked, “You okay? Nothing broken?” She nearly scoffed. It wasn't a far fall, and she was wearing magical armor.

But she was struck by the strangest sense of this having happened before. Falling, being caught at the last moment, looking up into green eyes...

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then realized that Chat might get the wrong idea from that. “I'm fine, I just need to summon my Lucky Charm.”

With her mind now entirely focused on the battle, soon the Electrifier was defeated. The connection her mind had tenuously forged was forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I went on vacation only to return to find my laptop was broken. Thankfully, all my fanfic stuff is backed up, but it does mean I need to borrow a computer to post things. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the remainder of my July works!


	18. Masks

Adrien sat at home, looking at the latest video posted on the Ladyblog. Alya had been among the crowd of reporters asking for information on the recently defeated akuma, and she had caught an excellent side of Ladybug. Which was, of course, all of her. He had paused the video as Alya had zoomed in on her face. He stared at the mask as if he might be able to remove it through force of will alone.

After minutes of trying, he sighed. Not today. He swiveled his chair as if to get up. He looked back one more time... _If only I knew the girl behind the mask..._

“Are you done making pouty faces at Ladybug yet? You still need to feed me.”

Wistfulness gave Annoyance a fist bump as it passed on its way out of Adrien's mind. He turned to Plagg, who was currently nibbling on a hunk of camembert. “You are currently eating.”

“Ignore this. I found it on my own. _You_ still need to feed me.”

Adrien grumbled about Plagg being a glutton, but his heart wasn't really in it.

The kwami seemed to pick up on this since the chewing noises stopped. “You can't reveal your civilian identity. That's the rule, Adrien.” The boy in question stopped on his way to the fridge in his room, back to Plagg. “Besides, there are so many other things – or people – you could be pursuing instead of a mysterious woman that you don't even know the name of. Cheese, for instance. All the mystery, none of the heartache.”

Adrien returned to Plagg with camembert in hand. He stared at his kwami. “I'll figure it out eventually, you floating stomach. I don't know a lot about Ladybug, but I do know that I love her. And love conquers all – even silly kwami rules.” He petted Plagg's large head with his finger, eliciting purrs from him as he viciously ate his cheese.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Marinette was at home, catching up on the Ladyblog. After having a fight with her parents, she had been banished to her room. It wasn't anything serious, but it was a stark difference from the normally soft and caring side they showed. They had warned her that they were considering grounding her for missing classes and generally not being where she ought to be. Again. It was all so frustrating. If only they could know why she was always absent...

She sighed. But that was a secret only she knew. Sparing a glance at Tikki, she amended her previous thought to include her and Master Fu. She paused her idle scrolling on the Ladyblog when she caught sight of what Alya had labeled a 'candid' photo of Chat. Her lips turned upward in a smirk. She knew Chat pretty well and she could tell when he was posing. Still smiling, she rolled her eyes at his antics.

 

Chat would understand. This was something he had to be going through as well – having to cancel plans unexpectedly, missing class, worrying parents. She had gotten close with him over the months, between akuma battles and patrols. As she stared at his picture, she had a yearning for a confidant who could help shoulder the burden of being a superhero – not just in a fight, but in civilian life. Someone she could talk to who could sympathize with what it was like, leading a double life.

She felt Tikki touch her cheek. “I'm sorry, Marinette. But these are the rules. You cannot reveal your identity to Chat Noir.”

In a whisper, Marinette responded. “I know, Tikki. But that doesn't make it any less difficult.”

She closed out of the Ladyblog and tried to distract herself with homework.


	19. Confined or Trapped

“I spy, with my little eye, something... black.”

Marinette sighed. She didn't think that Chat Noir was taking their situation seriously. A (kinda terrible) school janitor turned villain – Mr. Fix It – had been using his powers of having an endless supply of duct tape and glue to terrorize Paris. Usually by binding things to other things. Despite the underwhelming scope of his power, he seemed to be more than willing to pursue his own agenda in favor of fighting the superheroic duo.

A blast of adhesive sent them down the hall, and ended up with the two stuck together and glued to the ground. The door slammed shut behind them, plunging them into darkness.

Since they had already used their miraculous abilities, they were waiting out their transformations. And while it was true that they could call them off now, Ladybug was hoping that something would come to her in the meantime.

“Chat, we can't see anything in here. So everything is black.”

She could hear the grin in his voice as he responded. “On the contrary, my Ladybug. I have perfect night vision. _Purrhaps_ our secrets will not be so for much longer?”

“Chat. There is a fatal flaw in that plan. Two, as a matter of fact.” She wanted to let him down gently. After all, she didn't take pleasure in hiding their identities, but she had to respect the wishes of her kwami.

He leaned his head back against hers. “Oh? And what are they, bugaboo?”

“First, we are stuck facing opposite directions.”

“True, but I can see your arm and hands. It could be a clue.” Despite his confident words, Marinette could sense the uncertainty.

“Second, we are going to lose our powers at the same time, and if you aren't Chat Noir, you won't have night vision.”

Silence from her partner. He sagged against her. In a small voice, he said, “Well, it was worth a shot, I guess.” His voice gained some of its previous optimism. “I suppose it would be a terribly unromantic way to find out your real identity. Far from how I envisioned it in my head.”

Despite herself, she giggled. Their miraculous beeped. She leaned her head back against Chat's. The plan was that they'd have their kwami go out and eat, then return. They'd have to break out with Cataclysm, provided that the kwami unlocked the door first. She was still working on a new idea – since she still didn't like this one – but for now it was all she had.

The next couple minutes passed fruitlessly and a flash of red and green blinded them for a moment, leaving stars in her eyes. Then Tikki's voice came from just in front of her. “Will you two be okay by yourselves?”

Marinette nodded, then realized that nobody could see her. “Yes, but hurry. If someone finds us like this, we'd get revealed to each other.”

A voice came from Chat Noir's side. It was similar in pitch to Tikki's, but not quite as squeaky. “Yeah, yeah let's get going. I'm starving and I'm sure I saw some goodies this way.”

The room went quiet once again. Chat snorted. “Leave it to Plagg to notice food while we are fighting.”

She chuckled, but the silence fell once again. She didn't want to dwell on the possibility of being discovered, so she tried to fill the space. “So... how did you envision it, silly kitty? I bet you've thought up all sorts of scenarios.”

“What? Our reveal?”

“Mmhm.”

“Well, I always thought it'd be nice if it was revealed after a date, right? So that just leaves choice of locale or type of date.”

“That's pretty forward, don't you think?”

“Well, what else would change our kwamis' minds but the power of love, always so strong?”

“I suppose. Tikki is a bit of a romantic at heart. So what locales had you thought up?”

“The most obvious choice would be the Eiffel Tower. It was where we had our first real victory against Hawkmoth, it is where we meet up for our patrols, and it is such a beautiful view...”

“I see what you mean. It has always been a _monumental_ spot for our partnership.”

He sighed longingly. “I love it when you pun, my lady. Anyway, the big problem is that we'd stand a good chance of being seen. The Eiffel Tower is watched at all times of the day, after all.”

“True, true. So what was your next idea?”

“Well, the Alps can be just as beautiful as Paris, but with natural splendor. A mountain cabin getaway would be perfect for us to get to know each other after a reveal. Or maybe, we'd give hints over the weekend until we reveal by the end. Either way, it would be meow-velous.”

It _did_ sound nice. “And the flaw there?”

“Well, if we used the cabin I had in mind, you'd already know who I was anyway, so it would be a moot point.”

She giggled. “That would take away from the suspense of it all.”

“My last idea – that I am willing to share – would simply be an ice cream date from Andre's. Granted, it isn't quite as romantic, but I like Andre and I'd like him to be able to say he played matchmaker for Paris's heroes.”

“Aw. That's sweet of you to do that for him, Chat.” She heard a clanging noise from the door. “It seems that – one way or another – we are about to get out of here.”

She braced herself, but it turned out to be Tikki and Plagg, returned fully charged.

“Tikki! Spots on!”

“Plagg! Claws out!”

Chat broke through the glue and duct tape and they were finally free. She heard him groan as he stretched out. Light filtered into the room as he opened the door. “Ladybugs first.”

She shook her head, but smiled at him. She stepped into the light, drawing her yo-yo. They had an akuma to cleanse.


	20. Trust

Marinette was not having a good time.

This akuma battle was dragging on for far longer than she would have liked, and both of them had already had to duck out of the fight to recharge. In her last detransformation, she had started to notice the bruises forming on her skin, and the exhaustion that crept into her bones when she didn't have the vitality of Ladybug flowing through her. She reflected on this as she was pinned to a building with a car, and decided that she _really didn't like_ super villains that could toss vehicles around like toys.

As she struggled against the wreckage, she heard her partner call out his signature move. “Cataclysm!”

The car pinning her rapidly turned to rust, then flaked away. She fell to the ground, landing in a crouch. While happy to be free, she shot a concerned look at Chat Noir. Now he was working on a timer, and they'd have to find him a safe place to hide. She caught sight of a restaurant that seemed abandoned for the moment. Perfect! Grabbing his wrist, she dashed towards it. “This way, Chat!”

Chat had recovered his wits enough to grin at her. “ _Pawfully_ nice of you to look out for me.”

Through her tired state she managed to smile back. “Always, kitty.”

“Cover me while I feed my kwami? I get the feeling they might accidentally catch me with a thrown car.”

Which is how Marinette ended up hiding in the empty restaurant, catching glimpses of the Tow-rrible Demolisher as it revved up and down the streets, searching for them. Her mind began to wander. It usually took a few minutes for Tikki to eat enough to recharge, and she knew that Plagg wasn't much different. Even if Chat claimed he was quite the glutton, his desire to savor the meal seemed to outweigh his gusto more often than not.

This meant that, right now, Chat Noir wasn't Chat Noir. He was whoever he was outside the suit. She'd built up a mental picture of what she thought he was like as a civilian. Boisterous and loud. Always getting into trouble. She had once thought he was from a large family, until he had accidentally revealed he was an only child – like her. It may have sounded silly, but she could never picture Chat without the mask, leading her mental image of civilian Chat to be a boy in torn jeans, loose shirt... and a black domino mask, grinning at her.

As much as she tried to suppress the urge, she wanted to know who the person under the mask was. Who she spent the long night patrols with. Who she fought super villains alongside. Who she trusted with her very life, and who trusted his life with her. Did they know each other? Would his revealed face mean nothing to her, just another person in the crowds of Paris?

She didn't know.

When they first started out, it had been duty preventing her from seeking out who he was. One of the only solid rules Tikki had laid out for her was not sharing her identity. But over time, she saw it as a test of sorts – would she betray the trust that Tikki and Master Fu had placed in her? And she knew that Chat wanted nothing more than to know who she was, but she could sense the fear under it all.

She thought back to the rooftop confession Chat had made after fighting Glaciator. Like all the other times she thought about it, she asked herself: Did he keep his composure because he was willing to wait? Or was it because she rejected Chat, not whoever he really was?

Whatever the reasons he may have had, she knew that she couldn't give in to temptation and find out who Chat Noir really was. If it was meant to be, then they'd reveal themselves to each other on their own terms. She refused to betray anyone's trust – Tikki, Master Fu, or Chat - and seek out his identity.

She heard Chat's muffled voice, and he walked out of the storage room. He beamed at her. “Ready for round three, bugaboo?”

“If you are _feline_ up to it, kitten. Let’s get back out there.”

Even as they charged back onto the streets to face a rampaging tow-truck based monster, Marinette felt secure knowing that Chat Noir was at her back.


	21. Sacrifice

It was a Sunday afternoon and Marinette was looking forward to spending the evening at the Gabriel Agreste fashion show. It had been difficult to get tickets and God knows she had spent weeks waiting for this. She amended her previous statement – _weeks_ preparing for this. After all, if she was going to a fashion show as an aspiring designer, then she needed to wear a dress made by her. The entire outfit had only been finished yesterday, but she was pleased with the final result.

She had time before she needed to prepare, so she took a book out onto the balcony. Before she could get too engrossed in her reading, she heard someone on the street call out. “Hey! Chat Noir!”

Her partner made rare jaunts in the city, and he was known for stopping for fans – usually, including them in a SnapChat or taking pictures with them. But, as she glanced up, she say him swing past, without acknowledging the person who shouted his name.

She frowned. That was... well, it wasn't unheard of, it be sure. But every time it had happened before, it had been because of home issues. Her eyes stared at the horizon. Chat Noir is probably running around the city to try to run from his emotions. He needs someone to talk to. Since he was Chat right now, then that meant there was only one person that could reach out to him.

She went back into her room to find Tikki, but her eyes settled on her new dress, all nicely made and placed on the mannequin that shared her proportions. She stared at it, biting her lip, thinking about the time she had spent making it, and how long she had waited for the show.

Tikki looked up from where she sat eating her cookie on the table. “Is something wrong, Marinette? You look conflicted.” She floated over to her.

Doubt fled her mind. “We need to transform, Tikki. Chat Noir needs a friend right now.” There would be other fashions shows.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adrien had settled on the Eiffel Tower, hugging his knees to his face, and tail wrapped around his thighs. This fight with his father had been a rough one.

For the past two weeks, Gabriel Agreste had been working nonstop to get everything ready for the fashion show. While Adrien rarely saw him normally, this mean that he hadn't seen his father at all during that time. Instead, mandates came down from Nathalie, and Adrien was expected to fall in line. He took solace in the fact that he wasn't scheduled to model in this show – or at least, he _had_ taken solace in that.

Yesterday, Nathalie informed him that Adrien would be expected to attend the entire show, as well as the after party. As the message from his father had stated, “It was important for the brand image for both of the Agrestes to be present to interact with the prospective investors.” Which meant that Adrien would be expected to be talk with boring (at best) and pompous (at worst) upper class snobs who cared more about fashion than... well, anything. And, based on his previous experience with such after parties, he would be latched onto by girls very similar to Chloe for most of the night.

All of which he very much did not enjoy, but could deal with. The problem was that it was last minute and he had already made plans to hang out with Nino. They had planned this whole mini party with video games and movies and a sleepover. And then it was taken away from him.

He had went to his father earlier that day to protest. His father insulted Nino - _“Better things to do than muck about with some street musician.”_ Adrien's polite facade... cracked. They resorted to yelling. Gabriel said that if he didn't want to go so bad, then he could stay at home, locked in his room.

He waited until his father had left, then made his exit as Chat Noir.

Which brought him to the Eiffel Tower. Sitting alone in the world. Unable to visit friends, and whose only family was a frigid and absent man. He tightened his grip on his legs.

It was in these musings that he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, which startled him. He looked back, and was face to face with the concerned blue-bell eyes of Ladybug. She had hunched down to be level with him, and she was watching him carefully.

He smiled to cover his frown. “My lady, I hadn't expected to see you out and-”

She covered his mouth with her hand. “Chat, I know something's up. You don't need to hide it from me.” She removed her hand.

His smile wavered and eventually failed. She sat down next to him and pulled him into a half hug. “You can start whenever you want to, kitty. I can be here all night.”


	22. Quarrel

The heroes of Paris were held in high regard. They were seen as courageous, confident, and noble. In short, they were larger than life - more than merely human. 

Which means it is a good thing that no one was around during this conversation between Chat Noir and Ladybug. Otherwise, they may have realized that these were very much two normal people. Normal people who have some very, very strange conversations sometimes.

“Listen: It can’t stay a planet.” Chat had stopped on this rooftop twenty minutes ago to properly face Ladybug, and was growing increasingly exasperated. He was emphasizing each word by slapping the back of his hand into the palm of his other hand. 

“We’ve been through too much with Pluto to simply throw it away like it was nothing!” Marinette shot back, her own frustration building up within her. She might have expected such cold-hearted calculations from Hawkmoth, but not her beloved partner Chat Noir. She looked at him in this new light, displeased with his position on the matter.

Chat put his face in his hands and talked slowly. “The definition of what makes a planet changed. Pluto is a dwarf planet, and it isn't even the most massive one in the solar system.” 

She had been surprised at first that Chat had known so much about Pluto and the other planets in general. Then again, the only reason she knew anything about it was because it was the subject of classwork today. She scowled as she remembered that class. Much to her dismay, Adrien had taken a similar stance to Chat. She was hoping to find a kindred soul with Chat, praying that at least one green-eyed blonde wouldn't disappoint her today.

Sadly, it was not to be.

She glared at Chat. “You want to talk numbers? Fine. You know damn well that Pluto is the largest of the dwarf planets by volume, so it at least has _some_ distinction. It isn't simply some floating rock. Plus, it was the first planet we discovered in the Kuiper belt. It has emotional value.”

Chat threw his hands into the air, rolling his eyes as he did so. “Emotional value?! This is science! When the facts change, we have to change with them.”

She mumbled under her breath, fully aware Chat would be able to hear her with his heightened senses, “Didn't stop you from crying for an hour when you found out your favorite ice cream shop closed.”

He gave a scandalized gasp. “How DARE you! I'll have you know I only cried for ten minutes! And honestly, only the cold-hearted wouldn't cry at the loss of a master craftsman.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

Now she gasped. “Just because _some_ of us don't wear our hearts on our invincible armor doesn't mean we don't _feel.” The nerve of some people…_

That seemed to have been the breaking point for Chat. He crossed his arms and looked away from her. “I just realized I have _better_ things to do today. Good night, my lady.” He spat his usual endearment and angrily (yet gently) grabbed her hand and kissed it. 

As he turned away, she said to his back, “Good! I have homework to do anyway! Good night, kitty!” She returned his vitriol with some of her own, and they went home from patrol early. 

Once they woke up in the morning, they would regret their words and immediately contact the other to apologize. For now, they went to bed upset.


	23. Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoho! They thought they would be able to disrupt my fluff train with a prompt like 'pain'! They have underestimated my power.

Adrien was not having a good day. 

Patrol yesterday had gone well. They had rescued a baker from akumatization, and he had insisted upon rewarding them for their deeds by giving them a truly massive amount of baked goods. 

It was great at the time, and it seemed to get even better when Ladybug cryptically said she couldn't be caught with “other pastries” in her household. So they spent the remainder of their patrol eating the baked goods, with Adrien keeping the remainder. 

Adrien doubled over in pain, gripping his stomach. He groaned, not only from the sharp aching in his but, but from how he’d have to explain to his lady why he couldn't go on patrol tonight… He just hoped that she wouldn't laugh at him too much. She _had_ warned him not to do this exact thing, after all.

With great difficulty he transformed and called Ladybug with his baton. To his surprise, she answered immediately. She got her first look at him and he carefully read her expression. Pursed lips - displeased with him. He must have shown some of his discomfort. Or maybe it was the fact that he was late?

“Chat…” She said his name with warning menace. “You didn't eat them all, did you?” He caught a flash of something in her eyes. Was it… amusement?

“No.” She relaxed... “There is still a little bit left.” ...Only to immediately tense back up. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. 

“A little bit…! Chat! There was enough snacks there to last a week! Even Tikki wouldn’t go through that many sweets so quickly!”

The pain returned and he scrunched his eyes closed to help deal with it. When he opened them again, he saw Ladybug looking at him with concern. “You are meeting me at the Eiffel Tower. As soon as you can. I won't keep you for long.”

Adrien pouted. She had taken on the tone of voice she used to command civilians. Still, he knew there was no talking her out of it. He sighed. “As you wish, my lady.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Minutes later, Adrien arrived at their spot on the Eiffel Tower. There, a certain red lovebug of his awaited him, carrying a brown paper bag. He landed uneasily next to her, still nauseous. Not willing to risk a bow, he instead waved at her.

“Good evening, my lady! Ready to start patrol?” He did his best to convey comfort and ease.

She cocked her eyebrow, dispelling any notions that he had succeeded at deceiving her. “ _I_ am, yes. But I just wanted to get this to you and send you back home.” She passed him the brown sack.

Bemused, he took it and looked inside. Some peppermint candies and a bottle of stomach medicine. He chuckled. “Wow, you work fast.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, I got that all earlier today. My kitty is very silly and it was easy to guess what he’d do with all those snacks. Go lie down, okay? And leave whatever is left of the food alone for now.” She began twirling her yoyo, fixing him with a look of amusement and exasperation before shaking her head and sailing away. 

He watched her go until she was out of sight, a smile slowly pulling at his lips. His pain forgotten, he headed home to take his lady’s advice.


	24. Rescue

Two weeks after receiving their miraculous, Adrien and Ladybug subdued their fifth villain, the recently cleansed akuma drifting off into the sunshine. Adrien was lost in thought staring at Ladybug as she watched the shining butterfly fade from view. 

She turned to face him, wind lightly tussling her pigtails. “You know, they really are beautiful. It is hard to believe that they can cause so much damage.”

He nodded. “I don't think I'll ever get used to this.”

Before she could respond, there was a tidal wave of reporters surrounding them. They were all asking questions, ranging from the recent akuma to their plans for dealing with Hawkmoth, to personal details about the heroic duo. Adrien, having been raised into these kinds of things, felt only disappointment at the ruining of the moment he was having with Ladybug. 

Ladybug, however, clearly did not have his upbringing. Her eyes widened as she took a step back, arm raised up protectively over her face. As they continued to ask questions of her, only a prolonged squeak left her. 

While adorable, he couldn't leave his lady in distress any longer. He stepped beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jolted at the touch and looked up at him gratefully. He addressed the throng of reporters. “Lets keep this orderly and about the akuma at hand, okay? You! Nadia was it? What was your question?”

With his experienced hand guiding the conversation, Adrien answered a few questions before the beeping of the miraculous began. Ladybug whispered her thanks as they parted, Adrien responding only with a friendly smile.

\---------------------------------------------------

A few days later came the next akuma attack and their subsequent victory. The last victory seemed to set the trend, as now the reporters were emerging from hiding to converge on the triumphant pair. 

Adrien stepped forward to handle them, but Ladybug beat him to it. She wasn't as at ease as he had been yesterday, but she wasn't frozen in fear. Adrien was content to stand nearby as emotional support, giving her arm a squeeze when she began faltering to remind her that he was there. 

Once again, their miraculous began beeping, and once again they had to leave. 

\----------------------------------------------------

The weekend arrived and with it another battle. A crucial difference was that Adrien had needed to use Cataclysm early in the fight, meaning that his ring was beeping urgently _now_. The akuma hadn't been much of a threat, but now he had to leave Ladybug alone with the reporters. 

They began to gather and Adrien was glancing worriedly between his ring, his lady, and the reporters. Ladybug noticed his distress and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You need to get out of here, Chat. I've got this under control.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but caught the look in her eyes. Instead, he bowed. “As you wish, my lady.”

From his high vantage point as he propelled away, he saw the reporters descend on a lone red figure. 

\-----------------------------------------------------

Adrien rushed home to see how Ladybug did on her own. She had come into her own, fielding questions with confidence, and showing no discomfort as she did so.

He beamed with pride. He knew she wouldn’t need rescuing forever.


	25. Touch

It was a warm summer evening, and the view was, as always, excellent with the twinkling lights of the city below more than making up for the lack of twinkling lights from above. They had met up for patrol as usual, but something must have been in the air. Instead of starting their usual route they continued to joke and play on the Eiffel Tower. 

By chance, music drifted up to them. It wasn't hard for him to recognize the slow dance song that played frequently. Adrien took to his feet and gave an extravagant bow to Ladybug. “May I have this dance, my lady?”

He flashed her a grin and she rolled her eyes. He expected that to be the end of it, but to his wonder she slowly stood and walked close to him. 

She took one of his hands in hers and guided the other to her waist. Her spare hand settled onto his shoulder. She took the lead - as always - as they danced to the music, slowly moving around the area of the Tower they had claimed as theirs. 

Eventually her attention shifted from getting the movements right to watching her partner and that was the moment that he melted in place. Ocean blue eyes, so expressive, stared into his own. He had wanted to say something witty, but his suddenly dry tongue refused to cooperate. 

Sure, they had been this close before, even closer than this. But that was always in the middle of a fight, when Ladybug was all business. They would be close for a moment, only to split apart immediately. 

But here and now? She was dancing with him under the moonlight of a breezy summer night. Almost like what normal people do. 

She took back her hand from his shoulder and he was briefly worried that she was pulling back. But she didn’t. She moved it to join her other hand on his shoulders. With his newly freed hand he tentatively placed it on her waist, hesitating centimeters from her, as if she would burn him. 

She rolled her eyes and placed his hand there herself. Shaking her head, she settled onto his chest, which had the affect of knocking all the wind out of him. She whispered, “Silly kitty.”

Moments passed before Adrien relaxed and rested his chin on her head. They stood there, slowly dancing in a circle, just being happy in each other’s presence. 

He didn't know how much time had passed once they finally parted. Due to their proximity, he could feel Ladybug tense against him, and her eyes flew open. She let go of him and took a step back, eyes fixed on the ground.

“I'm sorry, Chat. This isn't fair to you.”

He was confused until he remembered her confession of loving another. He felt jealousy well up inside him. _If_ I _had her pining after me, I wouldn't be nearly so oblivious as him. Whoever the lucky bastard is._

Just as quickly as it appeared, it passed. He stepped forward and he lifted Ladybug’s face back towards him. “We can't control how we feel, my lady.” He winked playfully. “But I won't be giving up on you so easily.” 

She put her hands over her eyes and groaned at the skies. “This is all a huge mess, kitty.” She sat down on the edge, hugging her knees. “This would be so much easier without this,” she gestured at her mask, “getting in the way. Or if we focused on civilian love.”

He chuckled. “Well, at least we have each other, my lady.” 

She sighed in agreement. “If nothing else, Chat, I will always appreciate your friendship.”

“And if nothing else comes of this, then I will be content with that.” 

With nothing else to say, they watched summer night Paris for the remainder of patrol.


	26. Undercover Date

Marinette was getting really tired of the akumas created by spurned lovers. 

She gets it. If love is the most powerful force in the world, then broken love must be like an atomic bomb in terms of drawing Hawkmoth’s attention. But it also meant that she had to deal with them in very specific ways. Ways that would fuel the Ladynoir fanfiction writers. And she knew that those people didn't need any more encouragement than they already got in the form of out of context photos taken during a fight. 

So she knew exactly why they were throwing on clothes over their invulnerable costumes. But that didn't mean she was happy about it. 

“Are you almost ready for our date, lovebug?”

She groaned. He always got so _into_ these fake dates. Which, yeah, helped for deceiving the akuma, but she got the feeling he actually enjoyed them. He dialed up his flirtations to almost unbearable levels and gave her an all new set of nicknames. Such as lovebug. She wished she could tell Alya-as-Lady-Wifi off for introducing that to his arsenal, but then she’d have to reveal her identity. And it was just barely not worth incurring the wrath of Tikki for. 

“Almost ready, Chat. Now, do I need to remind you this is an undercover operation? We aren't actually going on a date.”

He was grinning ear to ear. “Of course, lovebug. Crystal clear.” 

The akuma victim, besides being heartbroken, ran what was normally a romantic restaurant. She had been especially difficult to draw out into a fight, instead focused on abducting couples for her hellish restaurant. The reasoning went, if they couldn't find her, then they should let her find them. 

In the meantime, they had to stay out in the open looking as couple-y as possible. Which Chat did with _gusto_. 

“My love! Stay close to me! Although I have heard that there is an evil villain seeking out couples, I cannot bare to be apart from you for even a moment!” He grabbed her hands and pulled her to his chest. 

Since pushing him away would break the illusion, she stayed where she was, instead choosing to turn around, laying her back against Chat. She put a hand to her forehead. With much less enthusiasm, she exclaimed, “I feel likewise, my beloved. Not even Hawkmoth himself could separate us.” 

He wrapped his arms around her, whispering in her ear. “It would take more than a super villain to drive me from you.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and she felt a rumbling come from behind her. 

She was about to say something to get her mind off the fact that Chat Noir was _purring_ , but at that moment the newest villain of Paris showed herself. She was a strange sight, floating above Paris silently in a black wedding gown, a red crystalline staff and white paint covering her skin. Her eyes never opened and in black make up two hearts were drawn over them. 

Her head swiveled in the direction of the two faux love birds. A voice echoed out from her, despite her mouth not moving. It had a chilling monotone quality. “Paris does not wish to bear witness to your _love_. Begone from our sight.” She raised the crystal staff, pink electricity crackling along its length.

The pair split apart as the energy grounded in the spot they had just vacated, a rose tinted ozone scent filling the air. Marinette spared a glance towards Chat to find he had already drawn his baton and was holding it in front of himself. Likewise, she had drawn her yoyo. She would have spun a shield with it, but experience taught her that it would be futile against an energy attack.

She nodded at him, and he returned the gesture. As one, they leapt for the akuma. 

Marinette wrapped her unbreakable yoyo around the villain. It certainly kept her from escaping, but at the cost of Marinette getting dragged around the park, getting slammed into benches, fountains, and trees. 

Chat Noir did not waste this opportunity, chasing the villain down and leaping upon her. As they wrestled in the air, Chat knocked the staff out of her hands, causing it to go spinning to the ground. Marinette dropped her yoyo and dashed past the staff, scooping it up as she did so. She waited for Chat to ground the villain before breaking the shining ruby staff, freeing the akuma. 

After retrieving her yoyo, she purified it. Chat came up behind her. She turned towards him with a smile, and held out her fist. “Pound it!”

His grin matched her own as they bumped fists. “You certainly know how to treat a cat right, my lady.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Don't get used to it, alley cat.”


	27. Love

Adrien wasn't quite certain that the red blur he had seen glide passed his bedroom window was Ladybug. Well, his eyes hadn't been certain. His heart knew the truth of the matter. A small offering to a tiny deity later and he was running along rooftops as Chat Noir.

Night hadn't arrived entirely yet, the sun still peaking over the horizon, watching as Adrien checked the tracker in his baton to find Ladybug. Before long, he had found her hiding place. Tucked into a hidden niche of a medieval cathedral, Ladybug sat, legs drawn up to her, and cried.

Adrien had suspected he might find something like this, but it broke his heart regardless. She still hadn't seemed to notice him, which gave him time to plan out how he would tackle this. He set his mind to creating the perfect opening.

With a devious collection in mind, he sat down and set to work. Ladybug tensed when she felt his hand on her upper back and she looked up at him with wide, red tinged eyes. He whispered to her. “Where do cats go when they lose their tails?” His tail gently wrapped around her waist. “To the _retail_ store!”

He saw the flicker of a smile, but it vanished just after he saw it. But it gave him hope, and he continued. “Two artists had an art contest - It ended in a _draw_.” 

He knew his lady was stubborn and at this point was actively fighting down her smile. One more ought to do the trick. “Two windmills are standing in a field. One asks the other what its favorite type of music. It responds, ‘I'm a big metal fan.’” 

Despite her best efforts she was laughing now. She held her hands out. “Fine, fine, you win. Just please… stop with the puns.” He joined her in laughing, and moved his hand off her back. He hadn't failed to notice that she was still tense. 

“So,” he began, knowing that it would ruin the mood but also knowing that she needed to talk to someone, “what's the matter, bugaboo?” 

The smile slowly faded from her face. She looked back out toward the city. While the view was beautiful, it didn't compare to their spot on the Eiffel Tower. “Today was a rough day, kitty.” 

__He turned toward her, resting his back against the medieval stones. “I can be here all night, my lady.” He waggled his cat ears. “I'm all ears.”_ _

__She giggled and rested her head on her knees. “Well it started with this girl in my class. She had been picking on some of friends. I stood up for them, but she pulled some strings to make it so I was the one who got into trouble.”_ _

__Adrien winced and nodded along. He was all too familiar with such behavior from Chloe and this bully sounded very similar to her. He wasn't surprised at how Ladybug responded. He felt a ghost of a smile at his lips. He'd love to see how Ladybug would handle Chloe in that sort if situation. Maybe then Chloe would have a change of heart._ _

__“I'm sorry, Ladybug. At least you know you did the right thing.” But Adrien had heard these sorts of stories before, and she hadn't been this broken up before. “I know that can't be the only thing on your mind.”_ _

__She grimaced. “...No, but it did put me in a rotten mood that was still going strong when I had gotten home.”_ _

__“Oh no.”_ _

__“And my parents were upset with me when I got home because of my absences in class.”_ _

__She didn't need to explain _why_ she was absent - not to him, at least. Hawkmoth hadn't let up in the least, and their civilian lives were suffering for it._ _

__Before he could interject, she reached her hand up to her neck, rubbing it with a pain look on her face. “Do you want me to handle that, Ladybug?”_ _

__She gave him a dubious look. “What? The aching? I don't know, Chat…”_ _

__“I'm really good at it, I swear! You know cats are good at kneading.” She didn't seem to be won over, so he continued. “My friend sleeps weird all the time so I've got practice in this sort of thing.” Which was true. Nino was frequently complaining about aches from falling asleep in god awful positions, so it was only a matter of time before he caved and let Adrien help him. Of course, now that he had a girlfriend he didn't need Adrien’s help as much, but still._ _

__Ladybug seemed about to protest when she winced in pain and caved. “Okay, fine, go ahead.”_ _

__Adrien nodded and slide behind her, his long legs dangling past her. Her pigtails kept her hair out of the way, so he got straight to work. “Anyway, you were saying? Parents mad, you mad, clashing of two anger fronts?”_ _

__“Mhmm. They've yelled at me about this stuff before but… I haven't yelled _back_ before. Which I don't think they were expecting. Or appreciated.”_ _

__He let her go quiet for a few moments as he continued his ministrations. He managed to coax a groan from her as the tension drained from her muscles. “Still there, my lady?” She grunted. “Keep going, then.”_ _

__“Okay, okay. There's not much to say, really. Except that we didn't really talk much the rest of the day, I got grounded, and I stayed away from them by hauling big bags of,” she stopped herself, “...stuff… out from the back. Which is why I'm so sore now.”_ _

__“So what are you going to do now?”_ _

__“I came out to clear my head. We’ll probably talk it out here in the next few days, but everyone needs to cool down first.”_ _

_Is that how normal families act?_

__He clamped down on that thought process. He was here for Ladybug, not to draw attention to himself._ _

__They stayed there for a while longer, long enough for the moon to be hanging above them. Both of them left in a better frame of mind than when they had started the night._ _


	28. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this what finally forces me into angst? After all the trials and tribulations, is there finally a prompt that even I cannot wiggle my way out of? Maybe so...

He hadn't meant to do it. 

But now it was done and they would have to live with the repercussions of his actions. 

“Ladybug, please! I'm sorry!”

She turned on her heel, pressing an accusatory finger into his chest. “Sorry doesn't fix this, Chat!”

He’d really done it now. Would she ever forgive him? He choked back tears. He had to make this right. By any means necessary. He looked up from his wallowing. Where did she go?

Panic gripped him. They couldn't end patrol like this! Who knew if this would fester in her heart and cause them to drift apart as partners? Then they'd be less effective in a fight! And Hawkmoth could _win_! And then he'd do… something? They still weren't quite certain what would happen after that.

His wallowing halted as he caught sight of red. He chased after, reaching her in record time. Grabbing her wrist, he pleaded, “Please, Ladybug. Let me make this right. She turned around slowly. 

His heart broke when he saw the hurt in her eyes, lips quivering. “It was strawberry, Chat!”

It all came rushing back to him. Ladybug had gotten to patrol in a foul mood. He wasn't entirely certain as to why this was the case, she hadn't mentioned anything in particular happening. However, he had known how to fix it. 

And the solution, as always, was ice cream. He had briefly switched out as Adrien to retrieve some euros, then joined back up with her to take her to an ice cream parlor. There, they had purchased the most magnificent ice cream cones that his euros could buy. 

But that's when things started to go wrong. 

She had told a joke. It had hit him particularly hard, so he needed some support. He placed a hand on her shoulder, but put more force behind it than he had intended.

She stumbled. 

She recovered. 

But her ice cream… 

Did not. 

The twin pink scoops plummeted to the ground, their inexorable descent sped along by hateful gravity. They splattered upon the ground, mixing with the dirt and loose stones of the Parisian streets. It would never be eaten. Not any more. 

He returned to the present, Ladybug standing before him, eyes searching him, still showing a hint of betrayal. He took a step forward, reaching out to brush a lock of hair out from her face. He whispered to her. “Let me make this right.”

\-----------------------------------------

He would have to give Plagg a very large bribe. His kwami had made that very clear to him. But he had successfully detransformed and back again into Chat, twenty euros more in his pocket. 

But honestly? All the trouble was worth it to see Ladybug smiling again, and to have been forgiven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nope! :P 
> 
> Only fluff, even if these kids are being silly billies.


	29. Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir attempts to buy Ladybug a gift. It doesn't quite go according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhh! This one is my favorite out of all the one shots I did for Ladynoir July. I had a lot of fun with it, and I think it turned out pretty good. If you have even half as much joy in reading it, I'll be pleased.

The shopkeeper, a woman in the early thirties, had always wanted to start a flower shop. Life had thrown plenty of obstacles in her way on the road to that dream - financial disasters, a nasty divorce, then the periodical super villain rampaging across Paris - but now she was finally getting her chance. 

The point is, she was very protective of her dream, protectiveness that came from nurturing the faint embers of a dream until it became a raging bonfire. 

So, when a figure in all black suddenly appeared behind her as she was closing her shop, she should not be blamed when her fight or flight response solidly decided on ‘fight.’ The pepper spray was understandable, Adrien would reflect later. The wild swings of her purse, which carried the weight of a sack of bricks, he was less than pleased with.

Eventually, the woman realized that she was assaulting the feline hero of Paris, the famed Chat Noir. She apologized profusely, and he explained himself. 

She ended the encounter much richer than she was entering it, having sold the obviously love sick child a bouquet of roses from across the color spectrum. 

\-----------------------------------------------

Adrien was considered a romantic by his closest associates. Which, at the moment, consisted of Nino… and no one else, really. And, Adrien reasoned, if showing the people you love most how much you love them is considered being a romantic, then he is definitely a romantic.

He had a perfect vision - get a large, fancy bouquet for his lady, which would finally get her to realize the depth of his feelings for her. He’d present it to her at the Eiffel Tower tonight, illuminated only by the lights of the most romantic city in the world. She'd swoon. They'd embrace. Somewhere down the road they'd get married. 

But for any of that to happen he'd need a bouquet and get it to her. Already, getting the thing had been… a painful experience. But he was willing to suffer for love. Beautiful flowers in hand, he began his journey.

Immediately, he hit a snag. Sailing over Paris may be the best way of travelling for robust heroes, but flowers are significantly more delicate. He’d lost a few flowers and left a trail of petals before noticing, and worriedly assessed the damage. He left out a sigh of relief as he reasoned that it wasn't _that_ bad. There were still plenty of roses of all colors!

He had to continue the journey on foot. Or, at least, by jumping and running along rooftops. It went well, with only a few losses from sheer accident. 

Then he heard a cry for help. His enhanced hearing pinpointed the victim, a man whose backpack had just been stolen. Chat cocked his head. The thief would probably get away if someone didn't intervene, and Adrien was the only one who had the speed to catch up to the sprinter. 

He gently set the bouquet down on the roof and set out after him. Surely it would fine without supervision for a few minutes?

\-----------------------------------------------

It would not be fine. Adrien caught the thief without much issue, even if he had nearly gotten away a couple of times. Backpack returned, crime punished. But he returned to find pigeons poking at the bouquet.

After he removed the irreparably damaged flowers, he was left with a very small bouquet indeed. Holding the bundle of flowers reduced to a fraction of its former glory, he trudged on gloomily towards the Eiffel Tower. 

Realizing that leaping to the top would surely destroy the last of the flowers, Adrien painstakingly took his time going up the monument. By the time he was three quarters of the way up, a powerful wind struck him. He clung tight to the Tower, and when the wind passed he was left with a single pink rose with gossamer wrapped around the stem. 

He pulled himself up the final portion and waited for his lady. 

\-----------------------------------------------

She arrived in half an hour, landing behind him. He was too absorbed in his misery to register this, twirling the rose in his armored fingers. He had long since etched a faint pattern into the stem with his claws, a means to pass the time. 

He was drawn from his wallowing by a gasp from behind him. He jumped to his feet, stumbling as he attempted to perform a bow as the same time. “My lady!” He held out the pink rose. “For you.”

She took it reverently. “Chat… I love it! How did you know pink was my favorite color?” As a matter of fact, he did not, but he held onto that information for later. “And these carvings… did you do that yourself?” He nodded and she stepped forward, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you, Chat, this is very thoughtful.”

She held onto it during patrol, and Adrien suddenly didn't care about everything he had gone through today. It had all been worth it.


	30. Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking place immediately after Chat Noir's confession towards the end of Glaciator, Marinette grapples with her feelings about the reveal of his feelings.

She told him that she loved someone else. 

He seemed put off at first, but took one step closer with a smile on his face. He had passed the rose and a compliment to her. And then?

He had kissed her.

Well, no not like _that_ but if he had done _that_ then he wouldn't have been her sweet and gentle kitty. Just a light kiss on her cheek. This was France - that sort of thing happened all the time between friends and acquaintances. 

Then why did it feel so different? A traditional kiss on the cheek between friends had never left her feeling so… faint. It had never made her heart flutter, or send electricity across her skin. 

Was it because he had just declared his love for her - in actions if not words?

Or was it because the kiss revealed something she didn't know she had in her?

Blushing heavily, fingers numb as she twirled the thornless rose between her fingers on her balcony. The same place he had admitted his feelings for Ladybug - for _her_. 

It would be accurate to say that her thoughts were both running at a hundred kilometers per hour and were completely stopped at the same time. _Do I… do I have feelings for Chat Noir?_

Chat Noir was very attractive, she'd give him that. He wasn't _Adrien Agreste_ levels of hotness, but, then, who was? But he was just as kind, and he was sweet, and thoughtful. Their connection had been forged in fire, and she could say that she had a stronger bond with Chat than she had with anyone else in her life. 

But Adrien… He had all the qualities that Marinette loved in Chat. He was in her heart first. Plus, she could have a relationship with Adrien _without_ endangering all of Paris. 

She sighed, not for the first time since getting home that night. She continued to twirl her new rose in her hand as she tried to come to grips with her own feelings.


	31. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early on in their superhero career, they make a solemn promise to each other.

They had finally managed to settle into whole ‘superhero’ thing, and had even set up their very first patrol, which was today! Marinette arrived at their designated meet up point - the Eiffel Tower, the location of their first real victory over Hawkmoth. It seemed fitting. 

She noticed that Chat had arrived before her and was leaning against one of the metal pillars of the monument. He winked and gave a Cheshire gin as she approached. “Ready to head out, Bug?”

She smiled back. “Of course, kitty.”

Their patrol was slow, mostly because they were being very careful watching for trouble. Or at least, she was being very careful. Chat, however, would instead try to convince her to play with him. His game suggestions only became more inane, even broaching the possibility of _tag_ at one point. Unbelievable!

After that suggestion, she turned around and glared at him. “What is your _deal_? We are here to protect Paris, not goof around!”

To her surprise, his cat ears flattened against his head and he looked sheepishly down at her ( _damn his tallness_ ). He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Sorry, I just… don't get to do this kind of thing very often.”

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Obviously. Most people don't have super powers.”

He shook his head. “No, I mean go _out_. I'm usually cooped up inside all day. Or working. I get the opportunity to be outside and _free_ as much as I'd like.” He held onto a chimney as he leaned off the edge of a building, feeling the wind in his hair.

He looked back at her. “And I don't get to hang out with friends much either. I barely got to have friends at all until recently, so it is all pretty new to me.” He looked down uncertainty, avoiding meeting her eyes.

Her heart broke at the raw loneliness in his voice. She stepped forward and moved his face to be towards her. “Chat, we are going to make a promise, okay? We are going to always be there for each other, no matter what.”

He nodded, eyes getting glisteny. 

“Say it with me, kitty. I promise....”

“...that I will always be there for you.” They finished the sentence together. 

“Now come on, we still have to finish patrol.” They didn't speak much for the rest of the night, but Marinette decided that maybe some games wouldn't be too out of order. 

Tag was still right out, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, the final Ladynoir prompt. A lot of stuff conspired to prevent me from getting through them in a timely manner, but I did it. Bittersweet to see it go, but I've updated the tags so that the entire month is better represented, and with this final chapter, I won't have to do anything else with it. Except maybe move it into the True Sight series.
> 
> Thanks to anyone who made it this far! If you liked this work, I've got others that I'm sure you'll like just as much. And if these stories made you laugh or go 'awwww!', then leave a comment! I do love reading through them.


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